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The Children’s Farm at Whipsnade
Dates: Every Day
All Day
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is full of exotic and wonderful species, and even the children’s farm is home to a few unusual residents.
The children’s farm is a great little enclave where you and the kids can experience a slightly unusual taste of traditional country life.
Alongside some of your more typical breeds, such as horses, cows, turkeys and donkeys, there are one or two more unusual characters browsing around, namely a Bactrian camel, alpacas, llamas and some rather royal goats.
Known as the Queen’s goat, the group of five are Windsor white goats and as well as being the regimental mascot for the Welsh guard, the initial British herd is thought to have consisted of some animals presented to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia.
The Bactrian camel is also a wonderful species that is actually native to the cold mountain and high desert climates of Central Asia, originating from the steppes and desert plateaus of the Gobi desert in Mongolia and China.
They grow long shaggy coats in the winter to protect them from the extreme temperature and unlike their cousin the Dromedary camel that only has one hump, the Bactrian has two.
The alpacas and llamas are always a popular choice with the kids, both originating from Central America they are herd animals and therefore enjoy a bit of a social should you be passing!
