A bigger and better falconry attraction is coming to one of the Island’s tourist hot spots, as long as it gets a new zoo licence.
In an application to the Isle of Wight Council, details have been unveiled for an expanded birds of prey display at Robin Hill, reflecting the Isle of Wight white-tailed eagles reintroduction scheme.
Currently, falconry displays take place at the park on the outskirts of Newport but now 28 aviaries are being built to house a range of birds.
Robin Hill has told the council it wants to display 3 types of falcon, plus a vulture, buzzard, 2 types of hawk, a kookaburra and a white-tailed eagle. The birds will be leased to Robin Hill, except for the white-tailed eagle which is owned by Vectis Ventures.
Designed with ‘maximum freedom’, the aviaries will keep the birds individually and can ‘effectively quarantine’ them when necessary. Each bird will have a training programme to keep them fit and healthy.
In licensing documents, the company says it has not ruled out breeding the birds, subject to finding suitable partners.
Vectis Ventures has confirmed a falconry centre is under development in the park, which requires a zoo licence.
Comments on the application (21/01074/ZOONEW) from consultants will close on 20th December.
whilst I can see they are well meaning, it would be better if we just left the birds alone, to live their lives free of human interruption, in their natural environments with their own kind, as nature intended.
This is the 21st century and I do not get why humans still feel that it is ok to take birds and other creatures from the lands, seas and their social structures that nature has provided for them. All creatures should only be viewed from a distance, whilst living free, in the environment and on the land in the sea or in the air, as nature intended.
“it would be better if we just left the birds alone, to live their lives free of human interruption”
It would indeed.
But you, as yet, can’t ‘charge’ people for looking at wildlife roaming free, hence, so long as the dim are paying, you can get away with controlling animals, so long as it is done under the mantra of saving them OR education. Ching ching.
Like dogs and cats?
These birds are bred in captivity and for the most part wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild.
This is a good opportunity to educate others and protect the non bred captive birds
I agree with your sentiment, however as humans continue to stupidly breed, the exploding population means that all wildlife habitat is being eroded, to the point that many/most animals will become extinct. Before long the only way you will be able to see any wildlife will be in a zoo or museum. The unsustainable population increase across the planet is going to kill it long before climate change will.