Rare goslings cause delight
The National Wetland Centre Wales is celebrating some fluffy goslings which have arrived in time for Easter. Visitors to the centre are admiring three adorable goslings which are just over a week old. These aren’t just any goslings either, they are nenes which are the rarest geese in the world.
The nene, or Hawaiian goose was rescued from the brink of extinction by conservationist Sir Peter Scott, who founded the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), which opened the centre in Wales in 1991.
At one point there were just 30 left in the world, but thanks to conservation efforts since 1950 hundreds now thrive in the wild as well as in wildfowl collections. The 50 or so nenes in the National Wetland Centre Wales are extremely popular with visitors as they are so friendly they can be hand fed.
Nigel Williams, centre manager, said: “Nothing says that Easter has arrived more than the arrival of baby birds. The nenes are immensely popular with our visitors because they are very attractive and tame. We have another eight females sitting on nests so we are expecting quite a few more to arrive soon.”
There is also a whole programme of events at the centre over the spring holidays.
Children of all ages will be able to enjoy a range of arts and crafts activities every day from 2 April to 18 April at the centre in Llanelli.
There will also be pond dipping sessions in which families can use nets and magnifying glasses to discover the underwater world. The bike trail at the centre in Llanelli is also reopening on Good Friday. The centre has a fleet of bikes to suit all ages and the cost of hire is included in the normal admission cost so it is a great way to enjoy exercising outdoors.
The centre is open from 9.30am to 5pm every day. Bikes are available from 12noon to 4pm. For further information please contact 01554 741087 or email info.llanelli@wwt.org.uk
