Amazona - the new Zoo Park in Cromer

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 14 Jul 2008

On occasion of a wildlife survey bats were found to be inhabiting the former brick factory on the site, the ruined remains of which have been retained as a hibernaculum for bats whereas a number of the kilns now feature as a backdrop to one of the animal enclosures; they can be seen here through the wire mesh of an aviary. After closure of the old Cromer Zoo > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/838872 in 1983, the new Zoo Park - called 'Amazona' - has finally opened its doors on 28th June 2007. It had taken two years to transform the ten acres of neglected woodland - surrounding an abandoned brick factory > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/883179 and kilns > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/883218 - into a zoo which now is home to a wide range of animals from tropical South America such as jaguar, otters, spider monkeys and flamingos. All the animals have come from other British zoos, none are imported from the wild. The zoo is expected to attract 50,000 visitors a year, and comes 25 years after the resort's previous zoo shut. The zoo has been developed by Ken Sims, owner of Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens near Great Yarmouth.

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