Beale Park

Beale Railway

Beale Wildlife Park and Gardens lie beside the River Thames, between the villages of Pangbourne and Lower Basildon in Berkshire. The park, once a private park, is now a park with a zoological garden, all with three main areas of attraction:

• A collections of small exotic animals, farm animals and birds;
• Landscaped gardens and woodlands;
• Children's play areas.

The park was founded in 1956 by Gilbert Beale as his own private park. He was a keen collector and breeder of peacocks and these birds still roam free in the park. The park is known locally as both "Child-Beale" (after the founding charity) and colloquially as "The Peacock Farm."

Attractions

Over recent years the park has expanded to accommodate a wide variety of visitors, especially the youngest ones. The park has recently built a play area, a pets area, sand pits, paddling pools, Little Tikes Play Area and the Beale Railway, a one mile section of 10.5-inch narrow gauge railway on which are run a steam train, "John Remmy", and a diesel "Sir Humphrey Davy", each capable of pulling 5 carriages and 50 people.

For older visitors there are the gardens, lakes and the model boat exhibition.

There is also, of course, a gift shop and restaurant on site and an education centre.

Birds

One of the ducks the lemurs live with

Beale Park's aviaries are home to a wide variety of bird species that are threatened with extinction. Most notable are the Green Peafowl, the Mountain Peacock Pheasant and the Bali Starling. There is also successful breeding programme and several birds have been released back to the wild.

There are many themed aviaries around the park including: Regional aviaries (home to African, Asian and Australian birds), the walkthrough aviary, the owlery, Madagascan aviary and the flamingos.

Changes

Over recent years the park has expanded greatly to a more zoological collection, the park now houses lemurs, owls, and in 2007 meerkats, prairie dogs and Tamarins arrived.

2008 has seen the arrival of various new exhibits and attractions including; A New Zealand Islands exhibit home Wallabies and Arapawa Goats, A Small African Mammals enclosure purpose built for Yellow Mongoose and Bat-eared Foxes with a raised walkway for improved viewing and also a new pair of Capybaras.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Beale Park)

• Beale Park
• Map: 51°30’0"N, 1°6’29"W