WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2010 – still time to enter!

We’ve had the highest number of top quality entries ever into this year’s photographic competition – in the region of 65 entries so far! Thank you to all who have taken the time to forward such a wonderful selection of images …… and for anyone who hasn’t yet done so – there’s still time - entries close on 31st October!

If you’ve visited Seaview Wildlife Encounter and have taken any photos you’d like to share with us, why not give the competition a try? Please see the Competitions and Quizzes page on our website (http://www.seaviewwildlife.com/competitions.htm) for further information on how to enter!

Here are just a sample of some of the entries:-

CREDITS FOR THESE PHOTOS GO TO:

C Abbott – girl with Wallaby

Gemma Bohn – Goslings

Samantha Cantelo – Golden Carp and Caribbean Flamingo

Alexandra Chambers – Pelican with mouth open (earlier image above)

K Dance – Penguin with beak open

Marian Wade – Pelican with mouth open (immediately above)

Maureen Snell – Male Crowned Crane head and Pelicans preening

Alisha Dann (under 16) – Duck flapping wings

Sue Elliott – Green Crested Touraco head

S Else – Otter playing with stone

Rory Neighbour – Lesser Flamingo

G Simkins – Rooster

C Speight – Golden Breasted Starling

P Stone – Swan and boat

Matthew Woods (under 16) – Meerkat

Pro-active healthcare veterinary visits

 

Dr Ian Green from Green and Foster Veterinary Surgeons in Newport has been our Park vet for a number of years now.  As part of our pro-active healthcare programme, Dr Green visits the Park on a regular, scheduled basis to discuss a broad range of livestock-related issues and to spend time doing a  ‘round of check-ups’.   Notes are taken on each occasion and records kept.  I’ve included a few photographs as a reminder of this latest visit::

 

First port of call was ‘Pets Corner’ where the rabbits were vaccinated against Myxomatosis.  Dr Green confirmed that all rabbits were ‘fighting fit’ (quite literally actually – one of our young males has been quite feisty recently so has gone in for neutering in the hope he’ll be more amicable!)

One of our ferrets (Nelson) has lost a lot of his hair again (this has been a recurring phenomenon that Dr Green believes is as a result of Cushings disease, apparently quite commonly found in ferrets) – so Nelson’s medication has been boosted for a few weeks to see if he grows his coat back.  Fortunately the two ‘boys’ have a number of warm places to nest within their enclosure so the thin coat isn’t too much of a worry!

 

 

Second check-point was the Otter enclosure.  One of our Otters has had an eye infection so our vet was keen to see the current status.  Fortunately the eye is looking a lot better (we persuaded the little ‘fellas’ up to the fence with a tasty treat so that Dr Green could get a close-up view!)

 

 

 

 

Then, as per the Blog that Tara entered this Saturday, Dr Green checked the ‘madness of the matriarchal Meerkats’ – to make sure the young females vying for the Alpha role aren’t doing each other any serious damage in the process!  Fortunately their scraps seem only to be causing surface wounds.

 

 

 

 

 

Next check-up was the female Crowned Crane who has developed a slight limp over the past couple of weeks.  Dr Green found evidence of some fluid in the stifle joint and has prescribed medication accordingly.

 

 

 

We have an Emperor Goose with a long-term limp and hoped that Dr Green could gauge whether she is likely to be in pain and if so whether she requires ongoing medication.  Fortunately Dr Green’s diagnosis is that the limp is as a result of the leg not being able to straighten completely rather than as a result of ‘favouring’ the leg because of discomfort (the limp has previously not improved with painkillers).  Therefore we’ll release her back into the main area of the Park and monitor her once she’s back amongst the other wildfowl.

 

 

 

Ned, our male Bearded Dragon, was suspected as having a slight mouth infection -  Dr Green took a closer look and we’re going to swab his lower jaw with an antiseptic treatment for a few days just to be sure.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the Penguins has a small red mark next to his eye.  Dr Green isn’t too concerned about it (it’s apparently similar to a sty on a human eyelid).  The Animal Care Team will be applying a topical eye cream for a few days to help the healing process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least, Dr Green  had a look (from a distance) at one of the White Faced Whistling Ducks in the Lesser Flamingo enclosure who has recently developed a slight limp.  It’s difficult to ‘catch-up’ the ducks without unsettling the Flamingos so we’ve decided to monitor the duck’s progress from afar over the next few days before we take the step of disrupting the peaceful setting! 

Sisterly love?

If you remember at the beginning of the season we had two lovely young ladies join the gang of male Meerkats here at Seaview. As you can imagine the young sisters caused quite a stir on their arrival but all the same the introduction to our long awaiting males couldn’t have gone better and by the evening they were all snuggled up together!

However, now the two females are growing up and getting a little feisty, the battle is on to determine the position of Alpha female - only one of the females will be lucky enough to pair up with the Alpha male and produce pups.

Therefore over the last few weeks the sisters have been at each others throats and unfortunately the smallest of the two always seems to come off worse, which gives us a clue to who rules the roost! Although the wounds always appear to be worse then they actually are, after a visit from our vet we were advised to medicate the young female with a course of antibiotics to prevent any infection developing in the wound.

Dr Green also pointed out that the fighting could in fact occur at the same time as the dominant female being on heat, in which case we may find that next season we hear the pitter patter of tiny feet!

DNA sexing of Caribbean Flamingos

DNA sexing from blood or feathers is the safest (and surest) way of determining the sex of any bird of any age. Here at the Park we prefer to pluck feathers than draw blood. One of our senior Keepers is responsible for ‘catching up’ the bird/s (in this case two of our Caribbean’s) and plucking three or four down feathers from the chest, placing them in a sealable plastic bag and sending them to be analysed in a specialist laboratory – who then inform us of the sex of the bird/s.

Images taken earlier this morning – Caribbean Flamingos being ‘caught up’ for feather plucking – to be DNA tested – to confirm the sex of the birds.

ANNOUNCING AND CELEBRATING OUR BEST YEAR EVER!!

The Team at Seaview Wildlife Encounter (previously Flamingo Park) are very proud to announce that 2010 has been our best year ever in the 39 years since we opened in 1971!!

We have recorded the highest number of visitors to the Park and the most amount of positive feedback from the visiting public remarking on our consistently high standards (referring to our animal husbandry, customer service, park grounds, cleanliness, excellent choice of gifts as well as our delicious and well-priced food). This has all resulted in the Park being described as the “best day out on the Isle of Wight” and as being one of the "best hands-on wildlife visitor attractions" in the United Kingdom.

We are celebrating the positive energy of the whole Team that has contributed towards this success, and recognise the effort and input of every single individual. Each employee has truly grasped the excitement of striving for excellence. High standards have been achieved and maintained in all areas of the business.

Thank you to all our visitors – especially those who return on a regular basis to experience and enjoy their own wildlife adventure here with us. It seems that whether our guests actively participate in the daily schedule of wildlife talks and events (including stroking the Wallabies and helping feed the Penguins) or choose to escape to the tranquility of the Tropical House, or the lower lake - there is something here that touches the heart of everyone who visits.

Taken earlier today in our Lesser Flamingo enclosure, this image gives a taste of why Seaview Wildlife is becoming known as the Isle of Wight’s most precious hidden gem.

The autumn-coloured leaves reflecting in the pond are particularly beautiful at this time of year.

Despite the tranquil setting here, and the fact that our season closes at the end of October, there’s SO much going on behind the scenes! There’s an ongoing whirlwind of energy in planning, managing and implementing whatever needs to be done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to lift the Park to even higher levels of excellence.

PLEASE HELP THESE AFRICAN GREY PARROTS

A worthy cause to share with our friends:

 

Dear Animal Care Team ,

Emergency! We need your help to rehabilitate almost 500 Grey Parrots rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

With only 2 hours notice, the Lwiro Primate Sanctuary has been thrust into an emergency parrot rescue on an unimaginable scale. A recent confiscation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on September 18th by a quick thinking government official, has saved almost 500 wild Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) destined for the bird markets in Singapore.

The birds are safe for now but need your help to begin their journey home to the wild.

Thanks to the outstanding support of people like you to our FlyFree Program, the WPT was able to send emergency funds to provide for the birds' immediate care.

The emergency aid will cover their short-term needs. But in the coming weeks and months the birds will need intensive rehabilitation to ready them for release back into the wild. Many had their wings damaged by being tied to one another to prevent them flying, and will require time to re-grow lost feathers. Other care will include giving veterinary assistance, providing proper nutrition, and building large flights to encourage exercise.

Please send a donation today »
You are making a difference in the lives of wild parrots.

And remember, 100% of your donation will be used to return parrots to the wild and help put an end to the wild-caught bird trade forever!

Best regards,
Jamie Gilardi
Director, World Parrot Trust

P.S. Prefer to make a donation offline? Click here to print a form you can send back via postal mail.

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Another fantastic letter sent to Seaview Wildlife

20th September, 2010

Dear Sirs

I wanted to drop you a line to say how much we enjoyed our visit to you on Friday 17th September whilst staying with my Parents on the Island.

Our son Oliver who is two, had an amazing time feeding the penguins and being able to touch a baby penguin. My particular favourite were the wallabies, it was amazing to be able to get so close and stroke them. The meerkats too were fascinating.

It was a joy to see the many different animals and birds and the superb condition they are all kept in. Even a thought had been given to the 'old timer' ducks, so that they could enjoy a more relaxing retirement.

Thanks again and we will certainly be back next year.

Yours faithfully,

Corrin Barabash