About us – Award-Winning Sustainable Tourism in Norfolk

Ed is a full-time arable farmer who inherited his father’s fascination with Africa and in particular, the many antelope and gazelle species which he discovered there. Proud to be able to name every species of British duck by the age of four, Ed has long been an admirer of Sir Peter Scott and his generation of maverick conservationists. Now a father himself, Ed would like to pass on the genius of nature’s complex systems to the next generation but recognises that it will take much more than a few individuals to ensure that our planet’s precious biodiversity can survive. That’s why Ed is so passionate about establishing Watatunga’s education work and ensuring that young people are empowered to tackle the challenges ahead.

With a background in agriculture, a seven-year stint in the city and a busy farm to run, Ed has not followed a conventional route into conservation. However more recent trips to Africa with his sister Annabel, an internationally renowned wildlife artist, made him increasingly aware of the pressure that habitat loss and hunting were exerting on many of the species he had grown to love. Ed is also involved in an international collaboration to reintroduce the Great Bustard to the U.K. and is proud to have the only Norfolk specimens of this little known bird which went extinct in the U.K. in 1832.

Anna has a track record of getting young people outside and having fun. Having trained as a primary school teacher, she has taught in locations as diverse as the Ecuadorian Amazon, Croydon, Lambeth and Rome and in each setting has been a passionate advocate of outdoor learning.

Anna co-founded Watatunga with her husband Ed in 2020 and currently manages everything to do with the visitor experience on site. From Forest School to safari stays, Anna is committed to making sure that visitors leave Watatunga filled with optimism and having had a fantastic time at the reserve.

Sustainability is of key importance to Anna’s vision for Watatunga, whether that’s sourcing the freshest local produce for catered events or making sure the t- shirts we sell have an ethical supply chain, attention to detail is her forte.

With her two mini-rangers in tow, Anna turns her hand to all aspects of the business but is happiest when planting veg or harvesting apples in the spectacular walled garden of the Stable Cottage, one of the holiday lets onsite.

Molly has always been very passionate about deer & antelope and believes that if people understood how fascinating and complex they are, they would be just as captivated by them as she is. She is a strong advocate of keeping animals in complex environments that mirror their wild habitats, always giving animals a choice.

Molly is the reserve operations manager, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the animal collection, staff & visitor experiences & implementing future strategic plans for the development of Watatunga.

She has worked in multiple zoological collections with a wide range of different taxonomic species. She is the animal behaviour & training liaison for the BIAZA Mammal Working Group & BIAZA Training Working Group. She has a bachelor’s degree in Zoo Biology and is currently in her last year of studying a master’s degree in Animal Nutrition.

Karen was born and educated in west London, but spent most of her school holidays staying with her grandparents in Sussex which informed her love of nature and wildlife. She has lived in Norfolk for over forty years with her horses and dogs which she walks daily in Thetford Forest. She has two sons and three grandchildren, whom she adores.

Karen retired from being a Secondary School Careers Adviser in 2021, after nearly thirty eight years in the profession. She had a specialist role supporting young people with learning difficulties and disabilities and her proudest moment was being awarded an MBE in 2013, for services to education.

Karen feels privileged to be working at Watatunga. She loves learning about the beautiful, critically endangered animals and birds, and working alongside a team of experts. She gives the warmest of welcomes and is a treasured team member, making sure every guest has the ultimate experience on the reserve.

Emily has always been passionate about animals and the outdoors– she was a keen horsewoman in her teens and volunteered at a riding school every weekend, completing the bronze Duke of Edinburgh award in high school. 

Emily joined the team on a 6-month placement via the Kickstart scheme having struggled to get back into employment after having her son. She has since moved to a full apprenticeship in Business Administration which she is currently undertaking.  

Having previously been a residential sales negotiator, she has experience in many fields including retail, sales and admin. It’s likely if you call midweek to change a booking or with an enquiry that you’ll encounter Emily’s cheery character.  Emily manages two of our social media platforms and is a keen photographer, taking every opportunity to get out in the reserve and behind a lens.