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YRC’ers visit the Wildlife Heritage Foundation
2009-11-02
Ok, so the weather was looking pretty ropy for the last Sunday of the half term holidays but that didn’t stop the YRC clan and a bunch of members making the trek to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Kent, just a short hop from Brands Hatch to go behind the scenes at this amazing big cat sanctuary.
It’s not open to the public but YRC partner Paradise Wildlife Park offered all YRC 2009 members the chance to visit the breeding facility yesterday and it was certainly worth braving the weather for.
A quick cup of coffee stiffened the nerves enough for everyone to happily sign the slightly scary ‘disclaimer’ which brought home just what a privilege it was to be there. Big cats are dangerous and despite all reasonable precautions being taken to ensure our safety, the staff there are all too aware of the temptations to try and stroke one of these amazing animals through the protective bars of their enclosures! Fully briefed, we wandered with our guide to the first of ten enclosures – stop one – the Kings of the Jungle!
It’s pretty tricky for rare cats to hook up on dates in Kent so the WHF provides the feline equivalent of a wine bar – sophisticate surroundings and plenty to eat and drink with the added bonus of being able to retreat to a cosy cabin at the end of the night without having to take a cab!
(Left: Tigers at WHF; Hannah James)Joking aside, this facility provides a really important service to the environment. They have some of the rarest cats in the world and are building a very strong reputation globally for successfully breeding from their animals with the hope of protecting them from otherwise certain extinction.
Rather than harp on about the plight of these beautiful creatures, we’ve just uploaded some of our favourite photos of the day for you to see just how near you can get – far closer than on a trip to Africa, Asia or your local safari park. It costs just £100 to support this fantastic place for a year and you’ll be invited down to visit the cats you’re helping to sustain at least twice a year – compare that to family day out at your local safari park and you’ll realise the value WHF membership offers.
Click here to learn more about WHF.
Members can check out the photos by
signing in – don’t forget all new members will receive a complimentary adult ticket to visit the Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire between now and December 31st 2010 so
join YRC today to benefit from this any many more offers!
