Paradise Park

Wildlife Sanctuary • Cornwall

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Plan Your Visit

Opening Times

Paradise Park and the JungleBarn are open from 10am every day. Closing times do vary from summer to winter. Please check this page for details.

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Events & News

Events

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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Attractions

Gardens

The gardens are designed to complement the exotic wildlife at Paradise Park, and to provide plenty of nectar for native pollinators.

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JungleBarn

Birthday Parties

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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Education

School Visits

We want children to get as much as possible from a visit – wildlife education, inspiration about the natural world and active fun.

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Conservation

Operation Chough

Operation Chough is a conservation project established at Paradise Park, in Hayle, Cornwall in 1987.

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SuperParrot Blog November 2024

This month, I had lots of fun meeting the miniature donkeys at Paradise Park!

SuperParrot and Donkeys

The Latin name for them is Equus asinus asinus miniature which translates as ‘horse, donkey, donkey, small’ – they definitely are small compared to a horse but WAAAAAAAAAY bigger than little ol’ me!

Our miniature donkeys are from a breed originally found in Sardinia which is a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea! As you can see in the pictures, the donkeys have large ears and are mostly grey in colour, with a little bit of white fur on their nose (the area with their nose and mouth is called their muzzle).

Female donkeys are called ‘jennies’ and male donkeys are called ‘jacks’ but all our donkeys at Paradise Park have names based on flowers or plants. The first donkeys at the Park were called Jasmine and Periwinkle. They now live in a group with their foals Lily and Basil. Just like any other family, they all have different personalities – Jasmine is a little shyer than the others and likes to look from the sidelines but is very keen for her food when she sees it arrive! She was born in 2004. Periwinkle always hangs around with her foal, Lily, and is quick to “help” her discover new things, especially new food and enrichment (these are lovely things which our Friends in Green (Keepers) add to our homes to keep us entertained)!

Lily is very bold and likes to be in everything! She loves a good scratch round her chin from the Keepers. Basil loves to spend time with his mum Jasmine. He can be a bit naughty – he is one of the smallest but likes to think he is in charge (at least that’s what I have been told!)

Basil the donkey

Lily the donkey

Jasmine the donkey

Perrywinkle the donkey

Miniature donkeys are friendly, affectionate and clever animals and they love enrichment – they like to explore new things. There is a ball in which little treats can be hidden and they love to kick it around and have fun! They also love to chew – bark as well as leaves – which keeps them entertained!

Miniature donkeys eat hay and some grain, as well as the occasional apple. There are thought to be over 20,000 individuals spread around the world.

If you’d like to meet our lovely donkeys, come to Paradise Park and head to the Fun Farm!

Hopefully, see you soon!

SuperParrot Xx

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