“I want to do my little bit to save the world. And have fun doing it� ~Anon Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
In 1946, the late Sir Peter Scott set up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, which has become thought of as the birthplace of modern conservation. The centre was unique at the time in that it was open to the public as Scott wanted as many people as possible to become closer to nature. Slimbridge became the first of nine WWT Centres in the UK, and part of a charity that has been involved in important conservation work worldwide. Over 200 species of birds can be found at Slimbridge throughout the year. Many are migratory, and come from many different parts of the world to stay in the UK over winter, or stop off on their journey to or from their breeding grounds. Others make the
reserve their permanent home yearround, sometimes forming part of vital captive breeding programmes. Such programmes have been successful in bringing back many species from the brink of extinction. In order to host such vast numbers of birds, Slimbridge is situated in one of the few remaining areas of natural wetland in the UK. Many of these valuable habitats have been destroyed in recent years to make room for agriculture and building, but the Trust is working on restoring as many of these areas as possible. Wetlands also serve as a powerful but natural defence against flooding. Like many charitable organisations of this nature, not everyone who works there is a paid full-time employee -
some are volunteers who give up their time purely for their love of wildlife and a desire to be involved with something so globally important. It is clear that throughout the many different roles that people have at the centre, they are all incredibly passionate about the work that they do. As well as pioneering research and conservation, Slimbridge is also a tourist attraction, bringing in hundreds of thousands of guests and schoolchildren each year. By making the reserve appealing to visitors, not only does the organisation generate money for the conservation work that it does, but it also educates people and provides the opportunity to be close to nature.
John Crooks, Slimbridge’s Captive Animal Manager with his favourite animals to look after, the otters.
