Vet visit to the Park

 

Our vet, Dr Ian Green, visits the Park fairly regularly and was here to check up on some of our animals yesterday.  Sometimes the visits are pro-active healthcare assessments, sometimes ‘Doc Green’ consult on specific  livestock ailments or injuries, and sometimes it’s a combination of both!  Some of our species are fairly easy to catch and transport by car or van to the vet practice in Newport.  Others are more difficult – catching them and boxing them for transport would cause unnecessary stress and disturbance – so ‘Doc Green’ treats those cases on-site here at the Park.

 

 

We have a beautiful young Crowned Crane that we drove all the way to the Netherlands to collect from an international specialist bird-breeder a few months ago.  Unfortunately she has developed some ankle and foot problems that have resulted in our treating her with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory/painkillers.  We’re hoping she’ll start to improve soon.  Warmer weather will definitely help!

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our Indian Runner Ducks has an ulcerated foot - but hopefully with the correct treatment and pain relief he’ll be back out on the main lake again soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Albino Bennetts Wallaby Joeys (the yearlings – born last Spring) have red, sore-looking areas on their ears as well as around their eyes and noses.  Incredibly this is sunburn – even though the sun during winter is very weak (and often non-existent in the sky!) it still causes the Albinos to burn.  The Animal Care Team have always conscientiously applied block-out sun cream during the summer months but from now on this will be done year-round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our brown Bennetts Wallaby Joeys, born last year, is quite small for her age and a little underweight, so Doc Green took a blood sample and will be running some tests to see if there are any underlying health issues.

 

 

 

 

 

Humphrey a two year old  Humboldt Penguin, was born with a deformity of the spine – causing him to have a humped back.  Doc Green checks him intermittently to ensure his health has not deteriorated and that he is coping with everyday life.  It would seem that all is well – our dear Humphrey is walking and swimming okay and he’s not in any pain, so has been given the ‘all clear’!

 

So, the animals are set and ready to receive our Park visitors from 2nd April onwards …….