Newquay Zoo

Mike and Mia, the Small-Clawed Otters, are excellent parents, bringing up large litters of healthy cubs.  Mia is Mike's third mate, and the only one he has bred with. 

The otter pen is quite large, and has many substrates. Although a stream runs through the pen, it is wired off to prevent otters escaping.  These otters have never been diggers, and the keepers seldom enter the pen; an electric fence along the top of the low wire fence is sufficient to deter otters from leaving the pen.  On the few occasions when the keepers enter the pen, the otters do not attack them, but retire to further parts of the pen.

The holt is on exhibit, although the otters are never shut out of it.  They have several different feeder toys, including a stuffed coconut on a pivot arm.

Newquay Zoo is now part of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, along with Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts, Slapton Ley and Two urban nature reserves in Paignton.

The park is on a fairly flat site, just off the A3075 Edgcumbe Road, near the centre of Newquay, and in the summer can be reached on the land train.  There is a cafe and gift shop, and pay-and-display car parking immediately outside.  .

I last visited the park in October 2002.