The New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park
For a relaxing nature based half-day out, the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park at Longdown is a great attraction and gives you the opportunity to mix with both native and non-native animals.
The Park, on the premises of the former New Forest Butterfly farm, is a successful conservation centre that is much larger than it looks at first glance.
The outdoor areas reach back into the woodlands of the New Forest and there is an excellent variety of wildlife to see, mostly caged but not all.
Notably the Sika deer are free to roam around an enclosed area and mix with the visitors, as are some fallow deer and wallabies in a different enclosed area, aptly named Wallaby Wood.
The main building of the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park is a long green shed which houses several small ponds for the otters, along with a hedgehog garden, stoat and ferret pens and mouse display boxes, each one created in a way that echoes the particular animal's natural environment.
There are many different breeds of otter at the park, not just the one native to the UK but also breeds from as far afield as Canada and Asia.
These playful creatures are fun to watch and always seem to be active in one area or another.
Daily feeding times for various animals, and guide talks, certainly guarantee close-up viewing, although an impromptu visit may miss these scheduled events so phoning ahead to check times is a good idea.
The two main outdoor areas are wooded enclosures where the deer and wallabies are free to mix with the public, while cages in these areas are home to a large variety of owls and other animals, such as lynx and pine martins.
At the back of Wallaby Wood you can see the huge wild boar - fortunately a double fence separates these powerful beasts from the public!
Fallow deer, wallaby and wild boar are just a few of the animal breeds that can all be seen at the park, in addition to otters and owls!
Other things to see at the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park include a night room, where you can view badgers and foxes as they sleep, a bird and butterfly garden, a dragonfly pond and larger ferret house.
A relaxing stroll around the park can take you a couple of hours and on exiting you can browse a well stocked gift shop, or grab a bite to eat and a drink at the cafe.
All in all, The New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park is an excellent attraction within the National Park for anyone who has the slightest interest in wildlife and conservation.
The hands on experience with the deer is always a hit with the kids, and adults too!
Opening times, admission prices & contact details
Opening times:
- Autumn/Winter: every day (weekends only in January) 10.00am - dusk. Last entrance approximately 3.00pm
- Spring/Summer: every day 10.00am - 5.30pm. Last entrance 4.30pm
Admission prices:
- Adults £7.50
- Children (2 - 15 yrs) £5.50
- Family (2+2) £23.50
Location: Deerleap Lane, Longdown, off the A35 towards Southampton from Ashurst.
Telephone: 02380 292408
Getting to The New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park
The conservation park can be found close to the north-eastern boundary of the New Forest National Park on Deerleap Lane, Longdown, approximately a mile east of Ashurst.
The lane meets the A35 road at this point, the conservation park is just over a mile along Deerleap Lane, on the left hand side.
You can see this area in more detail by opening this PDF map of the north-east corner of the National Park (approx. 30 sec download time on 1Mbps connection).
The New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park grid reference is:
354098 [How do I read a map?]
(A larger scale map of the whole National Park can be found on the area maps page).
Visit the official New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Conservation Park web site
Return to main New Forest attractions page.
