Wild day out for families at Accidental Zoo

The zoo developed at the home of Charlotte and Ryan Le Guilcher, and their two daughters Izzy and Tilly, as the number of family pets continued to grow.

Now with well over 80 animals, the family wanted to share their love of animals with the public.

Mrs Le Guilcher said they had been running weekend sessions for volunteers to come and help prepare the zoo for its first big event, with children coming along to lend a hand and also play.

‘So much goes on behind the scenes,’ she said.

Mrs Le Guilcher said they had not anticipated the level of interest the island would have in their home-run menagerie and tickets did not take long to sell out – 300 were available for the three events planned. ‘It’s been really sad to have to turn people down and we will hopefully put some more events on later in the summer so there will be more going on for those that have missed out.’

Visitors had the chance to see a whole host of animals during the day including a miniature pony, a golden Guernsey goat with two kids, pygmy goats, lambs, calves, cockatoos, an emu, a pig and nine 10-day-old piglets, rabbits, tortoise, chicks, ducklings, stick insects, great African millipedes, hissing cockroaches, a tarantula, chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.

As if the animals were not enough, events were taking place including a story time teepee, Guernsey rodeo, two talks by Mr and Mrs Le Guilcher: Farm Animal Antics and Reptile Encounters and sheep shearing demonstrations by Ross Henry who comes over from Sark to shear Guernsey’s sheep.

‘It was really kind of Ross to stay in Guernsey a bit longer to be able to come here,’ said Mrs Le Guilcher.

She said she hoped the day would be a good experience for islanders to be around animals.

It’s something Guernsey doesn’t have, there’s the shows but they’re different and the animal talks, they get to see so much, lot’s they don’t usually get to.

‘We are hoping to get more involved with schools, youth groups such as Scouts and Brownies, and we are starting to speak with Education about how we can do that.’ she said.

Among those in for the start of the day was the Pattimore family who first headed to the miniature pony.

Father Nathan Pattimore said it was a good event to have on the island.

‘It’s great because it’s just something else over here. We don’t really get much like this so the fact they’ve opened this up to the public is lovely,’ he said.

Mr Pattimore said they came down because daughter Daisy has a soft spot for animals.

‘Ponies are her favourite, she’s animal mad so it was nice to come down for her,’ he said.

Daisy, four, and sister Tilly, two, enjoyed meeting the zoo’s pony.

‘It was lovely,’ said Daisy.

Also among the zoos first visitors were Ben Rogers, five, and Matilda Robilliard, also five, who came with family and were getting to know the rabbits.

Matilda’s mum Hannah said it was good to see something new in Guernsey.

‘You’ve got to support local initiatives,’ she said.

‘I’m looking forward to having ice cream and seeing the baby lamb,’ said Matilda.

Ben was also looking forward to seeing all the animals but said sadly his favourite was not there.

‘It’s a bit dangerous. It’s a werewolf,’ he said.

n To keep up to date with the Accidental Zoo, islanders can find them on Facebook by searching @AccidentalZoo.