When you think of polar bears, a farm in Suffolk doesn’t instantly spring to mind. But it should – because Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park in Ipswich is where you’ll find Europe’s largest polar bear reserve. The 16-acre reserve is a habitat for rescued polar bears, as well as other tundra species such as reindeer, arctic foxes, and the largest pack of artic wolves in the UK.
Created by Jimmy Doherty (farmer and TV presenter) as part of an extension of the farm and wildlife park (which is home to a number of exotic species and rare breeds in need of rescue and/or protection), the polar bear reserve is named the Lost Lands of the Tundra, and is currently home to four polar bears, Ewa, Flocke, Tala and Hope.
The reserve at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park closely mimics the bear’s natural habitat, with ample woodland, grassy plains, natural springs and large lakes and pools. People are generally under the impression that polar bears live in extremely cold temperatures but actually, most bears don’t live in ice all year round. In fact, Hudson Bay in Canada—dubbed Polar Bear Capital of the World—has average temperatures of 26 degrees. For context, the average temperature in Suffolk is 22 degrees.
That said, shrinking ice caps and consequently shorter polar ice seasons due to climate change are obviously a major conservational concern, and representatives of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group alongside Polar Bears International are now stressing the important role that modern zoos and wildlife parks have to play in how things play out from now. After all, under the care of specialist teams, endangered species have a much better chance of survival.
The Lost Lands of the Tundra has set out “highlight the importance of one of the world’s most beautiful but fastest disappearing habitats”. The aim of the reserve, and of Jimmy’s Farm as a whole, is to rescue rare, protected and endangered species, and to inspire younger generations to learn about and protect earth’s native and exotic creatures.
Find out more and plan your visit to Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park here.