Cotswold Wildlife Park

This is a good wildlife park, which has a family of Asian Short-Clawed Otters on display in the Walled Garden. They have a nice enclosure with a stream and waterfall, but from what I have seen of the keepers, they are just "one of the animals" rather than loved as they are at the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park or the Chestnut Centre. They seem to breed readily, however, and are bright and perky, and in good condition. The female is a very small animal, but she has raised three of the last litter of four cubs successfully. The cubs are quite small, but may have inherited this from their mother

Of course, the rest of the park is well worth a visit in its own right. There are all kinds of animals there from Red Pandas to Rhinocerii, all well-kept and in excellent condition, and the park has a good breeding record. There is ample parking, the site is level, there are several eating places, a very good shop, and the gardens and grounds are really beautiful. There is a narrow gauge train you can take to see the larger animals. The park is just off the A40, signposted at the Burford roundabout.

I last visited the Park in June 2004.