I have driven past the sign on the A30 for Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park in Cornwall countless times and always wondered what it’s like inside. One sunny day in September I took my two boys aged 7 and 9 to find out.
We arrived halfway through the owl flying display and were all instantly completely captivated! We were fascinated to learn more about these incredible creatures and it felt very special to see the owls up close and flying around us. Both my boys even got to hold an owl and it totally made their day.
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Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park sits on a 10 acre site and has 70 plus owls as well as 32 different species of animal including racoons, lemurs, emus, alpacas, goats, meercats, weasels, polecats and foxes. There are lots of talks and displays on throughout the day and after the flying display we headed to the racoon and lemur talk. It was so interesting to find out all about them from one of their keepers and learn more about their personalities and habits too.
After the second talk the boys were ready for a snack and a run around so we went to the lovely cafe and playing area for a bit. Some of the other talks we could have gone to include an owl talk, British wildlife talk and animal feed and talk – all of which are included in your ticket price and on throughout the day. You can pay extra for a unique animal encounter with the lemurs, foxes or meercats (children aged 5-16 need parental supervision), or an owl encounter if you are over 11.
We spent a very enjoyable few hours exploring the rest of Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park and looking at all the owls and animals. I don’t think I’d realised how many different types of owls there are. It was lovely reading about them all and I can see why the team behind the animated Legends of the Guardians movie came to the centre when they were researching owls for the film.
One of the things that struck me most about Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park was the focus on education, wildlife rescue and release. They also took part in a successful Siberian Eagle Owl breeding project. Both me and my boys learnt a lot from our visit and had a really enjoyable time.
Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park is open daily from 10am-4pm between April – October. I noticed you can also arrange to have children’s parties and school visits there too. It is well signposted, easy to find and has a large parking area. You can find out more about ticket prices and everything I’ve mentioned on their website: https://screechowlsanctuary.co.uk
I highly recommend visiting Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park if you are ever in Cornwall. We had a brilliant day, learnt lots about owls and wildlife and made some brilliant memories.
Our tickets to Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park were complimentary but all views and opinions are my own.
A mum of two, Naomi Jones spent eight years working for Children’s Publishers in London and now works as a freelance writer, editor and children’s publishing professional.