What makes us unique?

Wildlife parks have been evolving and are very different from the traditional zoo that was simply a place exhibiting exotic animals – not always making the welfare of these animals the prime consideration. Nowadays wild animals are kept in enclosures as close as possible to their natural habitats. Visitor viewing has also improved with animal walk-throughs and elevated board walks. The emphasis on breeding and conservation is a priority in these six wildlife parks funded by entrance fees and special experiences including close encounters with a variety of animals. My personal experience of visiting six wildlife parks this year has changed my view of these attractions all of which offer different experiences to their visitors. But they all ensure visitors of all ages and abilities will enjoy good facilities including eateries, picnic sites plus playgrounds and attractions especially for the children. Bristol Zoo Project Sitting on the steps of a small viewing area and watching the wolves prowling through its glass front is a magical moment at the Bristol Zoo Project. A treetop walkway through Bear Wood leads to this viewpoint. Bear Wood replicates a wood in ancient Britain and features information boards along the way describing these woods at

I landed in Wichita last night after a mammoth 20+ hour journey from my home in the UK. Having never even set foot in the state of Kansas before, I did some research on the city I’m visiting for the next week as part of TBEX Wichita, and here’s what I’ve learned so far… The area at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers denotes the pre-settlement era of the city. It was a long-time trading and meeting place for nomadic people, with human habitation dating back as far as 3000 BC. This morning I walked past The Keeper of the Plains, an iconic 44-foot steel sculpture by Native American artist Blackbear Bosin that was installed at the river confluence in 1974 to honour the city’s Native American heritage. The city of Wichita is named after the Wichita tribe, who formed a settlement of grass lodges near the river confluence in around 1863, after returning from Oklahoma. The first permanent non-Native American settlement was a trading post opened by James R. Mead in 1864, who partnered with Jesse Chisholm, after whom the Chisholm Trail is named. Wichita established itself as a major base along the primary route for