A long-awaited new tiger attraction is set to open at the county’s premier wildlife park.
The Land of the Tigers at Paradise Wildlife Park (PWP) finally opens to the public on Saturday, October 3.
The new area features a pool deep enough for the Broxbourne site’s two Amur tigers, Sibera and Aleena, to be fully submerged under water.
PWP has also built a viewing area where you can come face to face with the park’s beautiful tigers while they swim.
The first of its kind in the UK, the habitat was originally due to open earlier this year at Easter but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Paradise CEO Lynn Whitnall said: “We are very excited to be developing our tiger habitat in 2020.
“This will be the second brand new habitat in as many years following the success of our Lion Pride Lands.
“Land of the Tigers will bring visitors closer to our beautiful tigers than ever before through the incredible underwater viewing part of the habitat.”
In the wild, Amur tigers are constantly under threat due to negative human impacts, including habitat destruction, poaching, the illegal wildlife trade and many other issues.
Lynn added: “Amur tigers are endangered, so we hope for the patter of tiny paws in the years to come to further contribute to the European breeding programmes and continue to show our charity’s contribution to conservation both in the UK and around the world.”
Paradise’s Land of the Tigers habitat focuses on the illegal logging trade where the unsustainable and unlicensed mass destruction of forest leaves the wild Amur tiger endangered to extinction, as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN).
Zoo managers have structured the new habitat around themed shipping containers that would be comparable to those used to transport chopped down trees within the illegal logging trade.
Not only does PWP want Land of the Tigers to be a fun day out for the family but also a tool to help raise awareness for Aleena and Siberia’s cousins who are struggling in the wild.
Tigers Aleena and Siberia are sisters and were born at Paradise’s sister site, The Big Cat Sanctuary, in Kent.
The two sisters were brought to White Stubbs Lane in Hertfordshire in 2013 when they were just over a year old.
Since then they have outgrown their previous habitat, so the team at Paradise decided to build them a totally new home, complete with expanded space, a new off and on-show den and a pool.
Paradise Wildlife Park / The Zoological Society of Hertfordshire is also home to 800 animals, including 10 individual big cats, the largest anaconda on display in the UK, and a bespoke World of Dinosaurs, complete with 30 motion-sensored dinosaurs.
For more and to book tickets, visit www.pwpark.com
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here