Issue 37 Spring 23 WEB - Flipbook - Page 97
Stratford Butterfly
Farm opens new
‘rainforest’ exhibition
featuring a Crocodile!
The Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is to open a brand-new unique exhibition entitled
‘Rainforest Realm’ featuring a Spectacled Caiman and other animals that originate from the
rainforests of Central America!
The magnificent male Caiman would normally live in and
around ‘cenotes’, natural sinkholes formed by the collapse
of limestone that fill up with ground water. Caimans are
oportunist hunters, feeding on a variety of prey including
crabs, fish, small mammals and invertebrates. Also
planned to be on display in ‘Rainforest Realm’ will be an
Emerald Tree Boa Snake, 10 endangered Orange Blackfoot Dart Frogs, a Basilisk Lizard, 2 Baby Yellow Spotted
Amazon River Turtles and a Oustalets Chameleon from
Madagascar.
stones. This connection between the Maya and Stratford
Butterfly Farm is the inspiration behind the new exhibition ‘Rainforest Realm’. Clive officially opened the
exhibition at 10am on Friday 31 March with specially invited guests. The butterfly farm will then be open from
10:30am to the public.
Jane Kendrick, Marketing Manager at Stratford Butterfly
Farm said, “We are delighted to open this exciting new
exhibition which will enhance our visitor experience. At
present no other attraction in the UK or Europe are housing their reptiles in a cenote so this is a one-of-a-kind display. The project has taken 14 months to complete and
will enable our visitors to see this beautiful predator in a
fun and safe environment”.
At the heart of the exhibition is a replicated ‘cenote’,
complete with a water cascade and a deep and shallow
pool. The ancient Maya sourced water from the cenotes
which were respected as sacred places, symbolic of both
life and death. The creatures found in and around a
cenote include frogs, iguanas, and crocodiles.
To see hundreds of spectacular butterflies, insects, reptiles,
and spiders visit the Butterfly Farm from 10am to 6pm,
last entry 5.30pm. Open every day of the week except
Christmas Day. For more information including purchasing gift vouchers, admission prices and group rates, please
visit the website at www.butterflyfarm.co.uk or telephone
on 01789 299288.
38 years ago, the owner of Stratford Butterfly Farm, Clive
Farrell, had a dream to create an attraction that would
introduce visitors to the wonderment of butterflies. The
Butterfly Farm opened to the public in 1985 and has since
welcomed over 4 million visitors. In 1991 Clive, and his
partner Ray Harberd, created the Fallen Stones Butterfly
Farm in Southern Belize, named after the nearby site of
ancient Maya ruins, Lubaantun - the place of the fallen
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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