On Friday we had visitors so decided a day trip would be good. The weather appeared to be fine and it was decided that we visit Howletts,  wildlife conservation park nearby.  I have posted about Howletts before, when we visited the park with my school.

It was a lovely day out, seeing the elephants and rhinos. They have successfully bred these animals, and reintroduced many into their natural habitats too!

The black rhinos had a baby and they were so lovely to watch, mummy helping baby out of a trench, and them walking companionably together around their paddock. the elephants were just magnificent and there were a good eight of them in the aea at once, following each other around.

The tigers, once they woke up, were pretty amazing too!

And I just love the monkeys, all manner of primates, from Gorillas to baboons to macaques. We saw the big gorilla really show his authority, and even beating his chest at one point. A motorbike zoomed past, outside the park and the noise got his hackles up, so he raised to his two feet and beat his chest, before running towards us, then stopping and striking the pose below (that’s him, the silver backed one!). The keeper came out too and they all knew it meant food time. Big man over there went and sat slap bang in front of the food hatch and waited until he chose his food, two carrots and a leek. After he sauntered off to eat the others got a look in. But it didn’t stop a cheeky younger one from tapping the big guy on one shoulder, reaching over and snatching a carrot from the other side then running away! Hilarious to watch!  Then the other beautiful beast was brilliant too, playing chase with two younger ones through cages and tunnels, before sitting down to contemplate life and stare wistfully out!

The baboons had us in hysterics, chasing each other around, each playing the ‘Big I Am’ and asserting authority before another scared the first away!

The Asian leopards were pretty stunning though one pooped as we were watching and the kids marvelled at the similarity between Sonu Singh and his bigger cousins!

The park was set up by John Aspinall, the centre, along with it’s sister park Port Lympne where you can even stay in cabins and go on jeep safaris, to help with the conservation of these beautiful animals, and many more, like giraffes and zebras too!

And here are a few Instagram posts I made from the day too.

All in all, a lovely day!