Marwell unveils £450,000 revamp (From This is Hampshire)

Marwell unveils £450,000 revamp

10:03am Monday 5th February 2007 in News

A TEN-year improvement programme has begun at Marwell Zoo which will see new species and revamped enclosures.

The first stage of the scheme - likely to cost around £450,000 - includes a major overhaul of Encounter Village, where visitors are invited to get close to some of the zoo's colourful characters.

Sheep, goats and guinea pigs have dominated this section of the park in the past, but they will now receive some more exotic neighbours.

An animal encounter barn is to be built where visitors can handle selected reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

They can also expect better views of exotic birds, such as the kookaburra, thanks to a walk-through aviary.

The planned structure will have a double-door mechanism to stop the birds escaping as people leave.

A similar enclosure is planned for golden lion tamarins, an endangered type of monkey, which are already at the park.

A third walk-through exhibit is also planned, featuring wallabies. The creatures from Down Under' will be part of the new Australasian Biome, which is also taking shape at the zoo.

The park intends to reorganise its site into several "biomes", each concentrating on a geographical area and its animals.

The Australasian Biome is due to open at Easter, with around a dozen other zones set to follow in the coming years. They will include African Safari, Eurasian Steppe and South American Rainforest Biomes.

The animals in these new areas will be drawn from the zoo's current population, along with some new arrivals, possibly including emus.

Plans also exist for an exhibition on black rats. Built to resemble a ship, it will explain how the rodents carried disease and devastation across the planet.

The zoo has also applied for planning permission to build new enclosures for squirrels, gibbons, tree shrews and otters.

Other proposals include a children's playground with a food outlet nearby, along with an Indonesian-style longhouse.

The launch of the major makeover coincides with the 35th anniversary of the zoo, which opened in 1972, and welcomed 511,000 visitors last year.

Its chief executive, James Cretney, said: "We aim to bring pleasure to all those that visit us and to do this we are constantly reassessing the park and its facilities.

"The introduction of the Australasian Biome and redevelopment of Encounter Village is an important step in helping us to deliver a great day out for all the family."

* For more information about the zoo, visit www.marwell.org.uk or call 01962 777407.