Curraghs Wildlife Park

Curraghs Wildlife Park
Location The Curraghs, Isle of Man
Coordinates 54°19′05″N 4°30′49″W / 54.3181°N 4.5135°W / 54.3181; -4.5135Coordinates: 54°19′05″N 4°30′49″W / 54.3181°N 4.5135°W / 54.3181; -4.5135
Land area 26 acres (11 ha)
Website www.gov.im/wildlife
Designations
Official name Ballaugh Curragh
Designated 6 September 2006
Reference no. 1642[1]

Curraghs Wildlife Park is a wildlife park in The Curraghs (also known as the Ballaugh Curraghs), an area of wetland in the north-west of the Isle of Man.[2]

The park is owned by the Isle of Man Government and formerly administered through the island's Department of Community, Culture and Leisure.

History

The park was founded in 1963, under the Curraghs Acquisition Act 1963 (an Act of Tynwald). The Isle of Man Government purchased about 200 acres (81 ha) of land to be divided between 160 acres (65 ha) as a reserve and 40 acres (16 ha) as a wildlife park. The 26-acre (11 ha) park was formally opened by the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, Sir Ronald Garvey on 23 July 1965.[3] It contains about 100 primarily wetland species from around the world in walk-through enclosures.[4]

15 acres (6 ha) of the park remains undeveloped and displays a variety of habitats such as bogs, Molinia grasslands, open water peat diggings, birch woodland and hay meadows. Nature trails run through this area with signeage describing the ecology and history, comprising a nature trail, tree top trail and butterfly trail.

In 2005, as part of the park's 40th-anniversary celebrations, it was host to the annual meeting of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). In 2009 the park received the Small Collection award for "Best Education Project with schools" from BIAZA at a ceremony held at Knowsley Hall, Merseyside, in recognition of the park's work in education.[5]

The Curragh is designated as a "wetland site of international importance" under the Convention for Wetlands of International Significance, known as the Ramsar Convention.

After an escape of red-necked wallabies from the park, the species has established itself ferally on the island.

Education and facilities

There are educational facilities in the park, together with a children's farm (Close Beg) with domestic animals, play areas and The Orchid Line miniature railway.

Animals

Animals at Curraghs Wildlife Park include:[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Ballaugh Curragh". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ↑ The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Isle of Man by David T. Webber Revised by Frank Cowin and F.J. Radcliffe page 46 (1997) The Manx Experience ISBN 1-873120-25-7
  4. ↑ Wildlife park located next to the Ballaugh Curraghs
  5. ↑ Curraghs Wildlife Park Honoured in 2009 Biaza Awards Archived 2013-02-05 at Archive.is
  6. ↑ Wildlife Park Animals Animal Index
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