Research

A very important role of all keeping staff is to strive to advance and improve the husbandry of all animals in their care and to share that knowledge with animal keepers in other collections.

As well as performing daily duties such as cleaning and feeding their animals, the keeping staff spend time observing animal behaviours and documenting any patterns or trends. Over time this can build up a working knowledge of the animals in their care, allowing the keepers some insight into how best to enhance the captive environment to make further positive improvements to behaviours. Such changes can have an impact on breeding successes and on the overall health of the animals.

Wherever possible any findings are written into articles and published in animal husbandry-based journals and websites. Recent articles written by keeping staff include;

• "Introducing a male Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) to an established group" Jamie Craig.
• "The affect of visitors on Scheepmakers Crowned Pigeons in a walkthrough exhibit." Jamie Craig.
• "The History of Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) Breeding at Cotswold Wildlife Park." Louise Peat.
• "Breeding Black Storks (Ciconia nigra) at Cotswold Wildlife Park". Louise Peat.
• "Red-winged Starlings (Onychognathus morio) and an attempt to Colony Breed." Louise Peat.

Degree Students

Each year students from local colleges and universities approach us regarding undertaking observational research at the Park. As well as enabling students subject material to study for their dissertations wherever possible we also adapt the study so that it will be of benefit to the keeping staff.

Want to Help?

A visit to the Cotswold Wildlife Park can now be even more worthwhile. By adopting an animal, you can provide a helpful contribution towards the costs of keeping and feeding the animals and supporting our conservation breeding programmes... click here for more information