Paradise Park

Wildlife Sanctuary • Cornwall

Events and things to do throughout the year including Easter Egg Hunts, summer flying displays, Quiz trails around the Park, Halloween Pumpkin Trail and more.

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Make it a birthday to remember with your choice of four themed party rooms with the birthday child’s name displayed on the door.

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One of the main jobs for our Keepers is creating fun, interesting, interactive enrichment activities which are key in encouraging a range of normal behaviours that birds and mammals find rewarding, providing them with mental stimulation, social interaction and exercise.

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Keepers move back to the zoo for third lockdown.

Staff at Paradise Park in Cornwall are safeguarding their families and the care of the animals in the latest Covid-19 lockdown.

Keeper Emily Moves in to Paradise Park
Keeper Emily Foden moves in to Glanmor House at the centre of Paradise Park in Hayle, Cornwall

Keeper Layla Richardson preparing parrot food at Paradise Park
Keeper Layla Richardson preparing food for the over 1,200 birds and animals at the Park

Two Keepers have moved back into the house at the centre of Paradise Park where they stayed during the first lockdown. They have taken this step so they can continue to look after the 1,200 birds and animals but also safeguard their families who are isolating.

Keeper Layla Richardson explains “It’s quite different this time, with a massive surge in cases here in Cornwall, it felt the right time to move in again along with my colleague Emily Foden on 7th January.

Last year in April it was sunny and warm here. But now we are in the depths of winter and life at the Park feels a lot different, colder obviously as no matter what we work outside in all weather conditions. Our routines during the pandemic have changed a lot to ensure we are all socially distanced. We have staggered rotas with the first shift starting at 7am, and the work is split in such a way that we now work more independently, so it is a team effort, but at a distance.”

Keeper Emily Foden feeding the penguins in the winter sun
Keeper Emily feeding the penguins in the winter sun.

Even though the Park is closed the same level of work continues, as do the costs. The feed bills and staff wages, plus vet bills, water, electricity and enclosure maintenance come to a minimum of £46,000 every month. There is no compromise on the daily care of any bird or mammal, and many are endangered in the wild and in vital co-operative international breeding schemes.

As with many organisations in Cornwall, we get through the winter on the money we take during the summer. But with the first three-month lockdown and then restricted visitor numbers we have not been able to make up lost income. We secured some funding which has helped in the short term and are hoping to receive a positive outcome from our DEFRA grant application, and meanwhile relying very much on the local community and supporters from further afield with donations of money, food and items from our Wish List.

So once again we are putting out an appeal to ask people to help support the Park through this tough time. We have a new feature on our website where you can donate to a species. Please click here to see.

Park Director Alison Hales said “We wish to express our sincere thanks to everyone, including the local community and businesses that have donated so far to help us look after the animals. The staff have been brilliant – we are keeping positive because every day we work with amazing animals and as many are endangered and we have spent decades caring for them at the Park and on their conservation in the wild.”

SEE THE 5 DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT THE PARK BELOW

1) NEW – Donate towards a species
We have added a new donations feature please click here for certain species. Including penguins, donkeys, otters and many more. We can then add the funds you donate to our next orders. THANK YOU Xx

2) Donate via

3) Our GO FUND ME page
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4) FOOD DONATIONS
We also have an APPEAL FOR FOOD DONATIONS with details of the ideal foods for the birds and animals that can be dropped off at the Park. Please click here for more information.

5) AMAZON WISH LIST
Our Amazon Wish List for the birds and animals is here. The prices can vary and so could be more expensive than other places. You can of course source items from your own local businesses or elsewhere and send them direct to the Paradise Park, 16 Trelissick Road, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HB. Thanking you in advance for your support.

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