The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Sandown is preparing to open a new, first-of-its-kind primate rescue facility which healds a new era of animal rescue in the UK.
This newly-designed and built structure will house multiple species of primates that the sanctuary aims to rehome over the coming years as regulations on keeping primates are tightened up.
The facility, which will officially open on Saturday 28th May, is constructed of 2 gigantic bamboo domes – the first of their kind in Europe. These iconic geodesic structures tower over the buildings of Sandown, forming an unrivalled multilevel space for the inhabitants to thrive in.
The largest dome stands 12m tall and is constructed from 777 bamboo poles which laid end to end would stretch over 2km. To complement the eco-domes are bedrooms made from 102 bales of straw, with an insect friendly living roof and a self-cleaning living floor, which the animals can access 24 hours a day.
Over recent years, the sanctuary has rescued animals as diverse as lemurs to big cats, most recently receiving 2 African Servals that were discovered with broken and malformed bones in a house in France, part of the illegal pet trade.
Lawrence Bates, Chief Operating Officer at The Wildheart Sanctuary, has said:
“This is a landmark building for us and the Isle of Wight, marrying up the latest cutting-edge technologies with traditional materials to produce a futuristic yet environmentally friendly rescue space. Many visitors have likened this structure to the Eden project and I would certainly agree this is one of the most iconic structures in the South”.
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The facility is complete with a second set of bedrooms made with upcycled blocks from a derelict animal house in another area of the sanctuary, taking the adage of reduce, re-use and recycle to a whole other level. Aligned with a strict zero-waste policy any unusable blocks were recycled into the pathways and the offcuts from the bamboo are being made into toys for the sanctuary’s rescued tigers and lions.
Marc Fox, Animal Manager at The Wildheart Sanctuary, adds:
“I stop and stand in awe in the middle of the giant domed habitat, feeling both proud and excited that we have managed to produce this show-stopping spectacle.
“I have visited a lot of primate habitats over the years and can honestly and confidently say that this exceeds all my expectations. The sheer size and design of the domes themselves means that we can develop and evolve a real habitat within, which can offer the inhabitants the ability to express their natural behaviours and have the space and complexity to feel safe, enriched and comfortable for the rest of their lives”
A cage is still a cage no matter how big it is. I expect this will get complaints but quite honestly, self cleaning floor which animals can access 24 hours a day, well of course they can gravity will see to that. Once a zoo always a zoo.
It would seem that primates are more intelligent than yourself. What would you suggest could be done for mistreated animals usually from East European countries etc, they cannot be returned to the wild for obvious reasons so therefore according to your mindset they can only be put down.
What is your alternative? Kill the animals that they are prepared to rescue, or what?
Not all the animals they have were mistreated or rescued, the tigers certainly weren’t, although the public were led to believe they were.
You are one hell of an ignorant person, try educating yourself and go along and speak to someone there that actually knows what the sanctuary is about and not make assumptions of something you know literally nothing about.
You really don’t get it do you shame in you
Just goes to show, big things can get done in Sandown when there is a will.
An innovative creation, and a lot of people will be coming to the Island to see them.