Dame Judi Dench Launches Walk-Through Red Squirrel Enclosure at the British Wildlife Centre

Popular visitor attraction, the British Wildlife Centre (BWC) is proud to announce that their Walk-Through Red Squirrel Enclosure is now open.

The first of its kind in the country, this exciting new venture was opened on 10th March 2010 by film and theatre legend Dame Judi Dench, (a friend of the Centre and adopted mother of lucky otter, Minnie!). After cutting the ribbon Dame Judi released two squirrels into the enclosure to join the rest, then mingled with guests at the launch, including BBC wildlife presenter and author Chris Packham, and renowned wildlife artist and conservationist David Shepherd.

The walk-through enclosure provides an entirely unique experience. An elevated boardwalk leads visitors through the trees in the wooded Copse. There they have the chance to see the free-ranging colony of over 30 red squirrels, all bred at the Centre. Various feeding stations offer the kind of close-up viewing which is almost impossible in nature and present the ideal conditions to photograph this iconic but, sadly, increasingly rare creature. The red squirrel has been displaced from much of Britain by the introduced grey squirrel from North America. Due to competition for food and the squirrelpox virus, which greys carry and is lethal to reds, our own native red squirrel is now confined to the far north of England and Scotland. 

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