|
|
|
|
History of Umgeni River Bird Park |
|
|
The Umgeni River Bird Park was designed and built by Dr. Alan Abrey. The
Bird Park is situated in an old quarry site which used to contain water
and was visited by Alan Abrey as a young boy growing up in Durban. When
looking for a Bird Park site he remembered it as a perfect option and
after a year of extensive land filling, landscaping and aviary
construction the Umgeni River Bird Park was opened in April 1984 by the
then Mayor of Durban, Sibil Hotz.
The Bird Park was privately owned by a group of men who were
primarily bird lovers and driven by the desire to educate and create an
empathy for birds with people who would not in the ordinary course of
their lives encounter different bird species from all over the world.
The Bird Park was well supported by local residents, SA holiday makers
and tourists alike. The Bird Park enjoyed the reputation of being the
finest Bird Park in the Southern Hemisphere by maintaining the Park in a
world class pristine and aesthetically attractive standard and
continuously adding new exhibits ensuring the return of visitors for the
next addition.
The devastating floods of 1987 which washed away Riverside
Road in front of the Park, threatened to flood the entire Park resulting
in the bird collection being evacuated to the Abrey’s home on top of the
hill overlooking the Park. By 1989 the Umgeni River Bird Park was
awarded the “Premier Durban Attraction” by the Durban Tourism Board and
was home to over 4,500 birds of 400 different species.
In 1995 construction commenced on the Free Flight Bird Show
arena and an American Bird Trainer was employed to train the Bird Park
staff in show production and bird training. One year later the arena was
complete and the first show was staged.
In early 1997 ownership of the Umgeni River Bird Park changed
hands with the new owners upholding the philosophy of “INSPIRE TO
CONSERVE”
Source: official web of
Umgeni
River Bird Park (2010)
|
|
|
|
|