Behind the Scenes Wildlife Tour at Watatunga

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the reserve once our visitors head home? Our tours offer a glimpse into our conservation work, but they only scratch the surface of what’s really happening across the landscape. 

This year, we’re excited to introduce an exclusive behind the scenes wildlife tour that dives deeper into how we manage the reserve and protect the species in our care, with insights from our Reserve Operations Manager and Conservation Officer. We want to bring together those with a real passion for wildlife who are keen to learn more about what happens behind the scenes at Watatunga.

We caught up with our Reserve Operations Manager and Conservation Officer to get a sneak preview of what visitors can expect from this one-of-a-kind tour.

“What can people expect from this behind the scenes wildlife tour?” 

Molly, Reserve Operations Manager: 

I’m genuinely excited to be able to talk to people that have a real passion for the way that we look after the animals here. We pride ourselves on giving animals choice and control over their environment and the way that they live their lives. Watatunga is a real labor of love and means an incredible amount to all of us that work here. Every year we improve our animal welfare standards and husbandry routines by course correcting and learning from everything that we do.  

For instance, introducing new animals into Watatunga isn’t like introducing animals into any other zoological collection. Our animals require a prolonged desensitisation process rather than just quarantining them before they are mixed with other animals from a disease point of view. We must slowly expose our animals to more stimuli such as the electric buggies, the quadbike, tractors, holiday let guests, and commercial buggy tours. They slowly see other animals through the fence, and we have cameras on their soft release enclosure so that we can see any potential issues that may arise, i.e. certain animals show an aversion to certain species.

We also need the animals to calm down, overcome the stress of their transport and journey, and learn who we are. It’s extremely important that we build up a positive rapport with all new individuals before letting them out into the wider reserve. If an animal, be it bird or ungulate species, doesn’t want to be found in 170 acres, you are not finding that animal!

I love that Watatunga challenges the way we look after animals in captivity, but in a sensible way that doesn’t compromise animal welfare standards. We are all for trying something new, but we are open and honest, and we learn from our mistakes. That’s what modern, captive animal welfare should look like. Sharing knowledge and learning from each other‘s mistakes. We have had plenty of species here that just do not suit the wetlands reserve in Norfolk. The UK weather can be extremely harsh over the winter period, and as a result, we need to be so careful when selecting new species to join our beautiful reserve. They must be animals that can not only survive both the summer and winter extremes, but species that are able to thrive here, alongside the right management.

We are hands off where possible and absolutely prefer to leave animals to it, but don’t get me wrong, we will step in and hand-rear if needs be. We prefer to let mother nature take its course where possible, but none of us have the heart to let an orphaned calf or fawn, for whatever reason, be an orphan! We hand-rear. Over the past few years, I’ve had several deer, antelope, a buffalo and even birds! We will always try to help where possible. There is absolutely never a dull day working here. I can’t wait to share some of our stories with you.  

I’ve been in zoos for the past decade focusing primarily on ungulate species. Watatunga is something special. I have a background in nutrition, and I’m very passionate about animals having the ability to browse and graze naturally where possible. Watatunga enables animals to do so. Animals can self-medicate here, they know when their bodies are lacking in salt, copper or even when they fancy a plant with a high tannin concentration! It is really fascinating to observe.  

Charley, Conservation Officer: 

I am incredibly excited to take part in this exclusive tour and get right into the nitty gritty of the conservation work we are doing here at Watatunga. My role sits right at the intersection of science, storytelling and hands-on fieldwork, and this tour is a chance for us to share some of the projects we’re working on behind the scenes, the ones that often go unnoticed but shape everything that we do. 

We are a working wildlife reserve and a home for exotic animals, so our conservation stretches beyond exotic animals, also focusing on the native wildlife that we have across the reserve. This adds a new layer of complexity as what may be good for one species may be detrimental to another. This exclusive tour enables us to dive into the balance of Watatunga and how we juggle our native and exotic species management.  

One of the things I love most about Watatunga is that it gives us space to learn from the landscape itself. As part of our conservation and research programmes, we carry out ongoing biodiversity surveys, monitor how different species utilise the reserve, and work closely with local experts to understand how our habitats support both our free-roaming ungulates and the native wildlife that call this place home. From dung beetle studies and moth surveys to bat monitoring and behavioural observations, every piece of data helps refine the way that we care for the animals here.

Education is another big part of what I’ll be talking about on the tour, not just our work with schools and community groups, but how we try to connect every visitor with the bigger conservation story. We’re passionate about helping people understand the “why” behind what we do: Why natural grazing behaviour matters, why eco-systems need big browsers, why good welfare starts with good science, and how even small changes in human behaviour can make a difference to wildlife. 

I’ll also be sharing some of the more unexpected things we’ve discovered along the way, the quirks of working on a free-roaming reserve, the joys and challenges of studying species that don’t always want to be observed, and how our research feeds directly into improving the welfare, husbandry and conservation planning year after year. 

Watatunga is a place that rewards patience, curiosity and an open mind. I can’t wait to chat with you, answer questions, and show you the side of the reserve most people never get to see.

Experience our behind the scenes wildlife tour 

This is not your typical visit to Watatunga. This behind the scenes wildlife tour opens the door to the parts of the reserve that most people never see. The decisions, the challenges and the moments that shape how we care for both our animals and the landscape. If you’ve ever wanted to go beyond the tour route and hear the stories behind it all, this is your opportunity. With limited availability, early booking is recommended. Book on to our Behind the Reserve: Management and Wildlife Tour.