Wild hearts belong here: with

Wild hearts belong here

As the Isle of Wight Zoo looks forward to welcoming back visitors, we talk to Charlotte Corney and Lawrence Bates about its legacy and lifeblood

Charlotte Corney’s lifelong connection to the Isle of Wight Zoo was decided at just three months old, when her parents bought the struggling zoo within Sandown’s historic fort. Thanks to a thoroughly

‘My Family and Other Animals’ style childhood – of tiger cubs on the beach and leopards on the school run – Charlotte has a deep physical and emotional affinity to this memoryfilled space where her “whole life has been orbited”. More recently, Charlotte has gradually moved away from the day-to-day management of the site, though she remains in regular contact as a board member and Trustee. “It’s not something that I have a choice whether or not I’m connected to it – it’s part of my DNA,” she says. Today, everyday operations and long-term plans are managed by Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Bates. Lawrence alluded to upcoming

“There’s something very special about this piece of rock. We prop each other up.”

changes at the zoo which will soon be publicly revealed and which aim to more fully express the range of conservational aims and activities of parent charity The Wildheart Trust – Lawrence says, “I think our members, regular visitors, and Trustees have felt for a long time that we’re not a traditional zoo, who – although they do vital work in conservation and inspiring people – often have their own breeding programmes and source animals through studbooks.” Instead, the animals who find their forever home on the Island are acquired through active engagement with rescue organisations. Some have come from the pet trade; others have been forced to perform in the circus. Many may have suffered physical maltreatment or emotional neglect. Once here, they have a home for life.

Feeling the lockdown love

During lockdown, the small but dynamic team battened down the hatches while continuing to provide the highest standards of animal welfare. For some of the more people-centric residents – such as ex-circus lion brothers Vigo and Kumba – extra enrichment was provided to compensate for the sudden drop in human stimulus normally provided by a steady stream of visitors. The pandemic has impacted funding for vital animal conservation work across the country. But the Island community came out in force to help this much-loved local attraction continue its valuable work. “The support during lockdown has been overwhelming,” says Lawrence. Charlotte agrees: “It’s been really humbling and heartening; I think a lot of people feel a sense of ownership and belonging over the zoo.” From fresh produce donations from local residents and greengrocers, a lorry load of hay from Gatehouse Farm, chicken from KFC in Newport and a fantastic animal Food Bank campaign by Tesco in Ryde, at one point they had enough food to be able to donate to other animal organisations on the Island. “There’s something very special about this piece of rock,” Charlotte says. “We prop each other up.”

A special delivery of Isle of Wight tomatoes from The Tomato Stall helps keep the animals well-fed in lockdown