BERNICE HARRISONon alternatives to movies and the mall
Into the wild
Fota Wildlife Park, Co Cork
Getting out and about is all the more appealing now that the clock has sprung forward and the weather is looking up.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and it should encourage families to do something together, something that’s been recognised by Fota Wildlife Park in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, where, to mark the day, mums get in free if they are with a paying-in child. There’ll also be live music in the cafe, to lend a festive atmosphere.
There are more than 90 species of animal in the park, most roaming around – including zebra, right – so it’s possible to get up close and personal with all kinds of wildlife.
Try to be there either first thing after it opens (Mon-Sat, 10am, Sun 11am) or stay until just before it closes (6pm), as most animals need to be fed twice a day, which the keeper does at the start and the end of the day. The cheetahs, which have a new run, are fed every day at 4pm, using a device that makes them sprint.
Around the park there are details of Fota’s commitment to conservation projects from Namibia to Vietnam to protect endangered species and there are several “adopt an animal” schemes – a good idea for a Mother’s Day present.
Fota Wildlife Park, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, 021-4812678, www.fotawildlife.ie. Adults €13.50, children €9