Residents at the Kent wildlife park are ready for visitors to return for the Christmas season

With just weeks to go until Christmas, animals at popular Kent wildlife park, Wildwood Trust, have been busy preparing for festive fun with seasonal treats and enrichment.

Santa paid an early visit to the charity on Tuesday 1 Dec, delivering bear cubs, Mish and Lucy’s, first-ever Christmas tree for them to snack on and play with.

All the animals at Wildwood are on the nice list, so everyone’s favourite seasonal character also left ‘presents’ filled with tasty treats for the arctic foxes and lynx to unwrap, and an advent calendar for the polecats to investigate.

See the pictures of the animals enjoying their Christmas enrichment here

“Christmas themed enrichment activities are the perfect way to encourage our animals to use the natural skills they would in the wild like foraging, digging, scratching and sniffing out a scent.”

Said Sally Holt, Senior Keeper at Wildwood Trust and continues:

“Unwrapping ‘presents’ is a sensory experience that requires the use of both mouth, paws and brain. Stimulating and encouraging natural behaviours in new, fun ways is important to us and our residents enjoyed getting into the festive spirit.”

Many of Wildwood’s animals have missed visitors and are now joyously welcoming them back. With Christmas looking slightly different this year, Wildwood Trust is hosting exclusive after dark ‘winter woodland tours’ for small groups.

To find out more about visiting the animals at Wildwood this Christmas go to https://wildwoodtrust.org/