Port Lympne Wild Animal Park  | - Click on the image above to view gallery
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 Barasingha Stag We started the day by visiting the mansion house where there is a room decorated by amazing murals depicting the hunting of many endangered species in the wild. In one of the paintings the face of John Aspinall, the founder of Port Lympne and its sister animal park Howletts can be made out if you look carefully. On our last visit here, by attending a special photographic day, we had a very enjoyable time where we enjoyed special access to areas not usually open to the public. That day was such a lovely day and notable for some very close encounters with some of the animals on one of the safari tours.
We decided to go on the safari once more even though it was only one of the normal day safaris and we knew the driver wouldn’t be able to stop to allow for photographs. We also knew that some of the animals were not actually out on the extensive parkland during the winter months. The giraffes stay in their house as there really isn’t much for them to eat until things start growing again. Plus they never like to come back in we were told and cold winter nights are not good for them. So any animals we did see while on the safari ride on this occasion were mostly at a great distance.
 De Brazza's Monkey  Black and White Colobus Monkey  Barbary Lion
Part way through the safari tour we made a stop at the Discovery Zone where there are various animals that can only be seen here, including some tortoises and iguanas.
Photographically wild animal parks are not usually places where you can get good pictures of the animals, but at Port Lympne recently there have been a few open-topped enclosures created which actually mean that not only do you have great views of the animals but you can also get some really pleasing pictures without intervening bars or fences. Today was no exception and it was a pleasure to watch the animals, especially the Black and White Colobus Monkeys and Guinea Baboons interacting with each other and also enjoying the warm sunshine as much as we were. They really did look so relaxed lazing about it’s been a long winter for them as well as us. The animal park itself covers a huge area so you know you’ve had a good walk by the time you’ve walked around the whole park. I certainly knew I’d been carrying some heavy camera kit by the end of the day too.  Green Basalisk  Female Western Lowland Gorilla  Guinea Baboon
We never did see the baby rhino, and were told that he does come out now and again, but is a bit skittish so doesn’t stay out for long. As always the welfare of the animals at Port Lympne comes first; if an animal prefers to stay inside, then that’s where they stay. It had been yet another really enjoyable visit,
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Gary ...