FORMER ISLE OF WIGHT ATTRACTIONS: SEAVIEW’S FLAMINGO PARK – MUCH LOVED AND MUCH MISSED

In the 2nd in our series of former Isle of Wight tourist attractions, Island Echo examines Seaview Wildlife Encounter – more commonly known as Flamingo Park. The family-run business – located off Oakhill Road – was run by Peter and Margaret Adams, who bought the land in 1961 before opening the doors to the attraction 10 years later in 1971. At the time of its closure, it was the 3rd most popular tourist attraction on the Isle of Wight according to TripAdvisor, just behind Osborne House and Monkey Haven. The park was located on the outskirts of Seaview on rolling parklands that overlooked a lake and the sea beyond. Visitors regularly remarked on the beauty of the setting, its unspoilt surroundings and views that stretched out across the Solent. Almost half of the park’s visitors were returnees, comparing very favourably with the national average for repeat visits to tourist attractions of just 13%.

Seaview Wildlife Experience won numerous awards while it was a going concern. One of the judges for the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence – which gave the Wildlife Encounter gold and silver medals – stated in 2009:

“Seaview Wildlife is a tremendous family-run attraction that has grown inventively over the years. They have a very clear fondness for their animals and younger visitors, naking a day out a very positive experience.”

What were the attractions of Seaview Wildlife Encounter that kept a steady stream of visitors returning for over 4 decades…? There were the voracious pelicans of Pelican Bay, whose beaks reputedly hold far more than their bellies can.

The mischievous meerkats of Meerkat Madness were also popular with visitors young and old, as were the multi-coloured parrots who resided in the ‘Big Flight’ aviary. The Tropical House was home to a great variety of ‘creepy crawlies’. There you could meet snakes, bearded dragons, cockroaches and millipedes and even get up close and personal with them – if you dared. A further attraction at Seaview Wildlife Experience was the aquatic mammals of Otter Creek. Visitors were also able to pet marsupials on the Wallaby Walkabout. Rare albino wallabies were included in the experience.

Finally, probably the most popular attraction at the park were the Humboldt penguins of Penguin Pool. The most popular penguin of all was Dippy, an elderly penguin suffering from arthritis, who had a Facebook fan club of 5,000 well-wishers. Seaview Wildlife Encounter came to a sad end on 10th November 2015 with a sudden closure announcement. The owners blamed the seasonal nature of the business and too much red tape for its closure. The former Flamingo Park announced:

“It is with great sadness and regret that the family have decided after 44 years of being open to the public that an extremely difficult decision has been made to close the park. “This is due to many internal and external factors – the seasonal nature of the business combined with intense legislation and regulation that we believe will only increase in the future. We hope that you will understand that it is time now for the family to bow out gently and to thank all of our wonderful visitors for their support over the years. “All the birds and animals will be top priority and the best possible homes will be sourced for them and of course the wonderful Dippy who we will endeavour to find the best retirement home for.”

Fortunately, homes were found for former Wildlife Experience residents. The mobs of meerkats and wallabies were rehoused in Tapnell Farm Park when it opened in 2016. The 20 resident Chilean flamingos were moved to Dudley Zoo in the West Midlands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc-cvZ7gWIY

5 Humboldt penguins – Benji, Bubbles, Tim, Flipper and Summer – were found temporary homes in Scarborough’s Sea Life Centre. They were due to be moved to the Sea Life Centre in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk until Benji and Bubbles, Tim and Flipper became couples and started mating in the Spring of 2019. The zoo staff considerately allowed the couples to remain on site in the hope they would lay eggs, but sadly no new chicks were forthcoming. Dippy – the famous penguin with a large social media following – unfortunately died in Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre in 2017, aged 22. He had been able to swim in the pool there despite his arthritis due to a specially adapted ramp with a gentle incline. The 16-acre park was put on the market in 2018, with speculation that houses would be built on the site. However, there has been no development to date. It is thought there are legal issues concerning the land. Did you go to Seaview Wildlife Experience? What are your favourite memories of the park? Let us know in the comments… In our next edition of Former Isle of Wight Tourist Attractions, Island Echo will reminisce about the former West Wight attraction, Yafford Mill.