Shuttleworth Zoological Centre

Shuttleworth, Bedfordshire

The animal centre situated on the Shuttleworth Estate, Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, has been established for 17 years and is in need of replacement, allowing us to meet modern requirements of care for sound zoological standards. A centre to accommodate a wide range of species and maintain professional standards, with a very unique twist! This centre is a first of its kind within the state education system, to accommodate a biosphere, allowing for an immersive experience hence connecting with the natural world. A wide variety of species of taxa from Avian, Amphibia, Reptilian and Mammalian will be housed in naturalistic enclosures enhancing experiences for trainees and visitors to the centre.

The animal centre has a wonderful dedicated focus towards education of learners enabling them to establish skills, focusing on conservation and ethical considerations of the world’s wildlife, by doing this we work alongside zoos and wildlife parks and provide good quality education within a specialist focus of living things and caring for the environment. Helping to maintain vulnerable species whilst broadening the skills of learners and visitors as a whole.

The dream for a new zoological training centre with innovative education to immerse learners into a state of the art learning environment to develop hands-on skills with wildlife and study these species on a day to day process. This facility will accommodate the wider range creating exhibits that enable learners to see how animals and plants interact in surroundings as close to those in the wild as possible. Lending for opportunity to really immerse yourself in the flora and fauna of a region no matter the academic ability.

Providing strong links between habitat and conservation awareness to promote ethical thinking about the natural world and the effects on animals and plants. We aim to promote small scale research which will contribute to knowledge in the centre.