Whipsnade Zoo

Whipsnade Zoo, formerly known as Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, is a zoo located in Whipsnade, near Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. It is one of two zoos (the other being London Zoo in Regent's Park, London) that is looked-after by the Zoological Society of London, a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats.

The park covers 600 acres (240 hectares), and can even be located from the air because of the Whipsnade White Lion, a large lion-shaped hill figure carved into the side of the Dunstable Downs (part of the Chiltern Hills.)

Due to its size, visitors may walk or drive their cars between the various animal enclosures. Cars are able to access a drive-through area where animals are able to roam free around the cars. There is also a train service named Great Whipsnade Railway it is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway.

Whipsnade Zoo is the UK's largest zoo and one of Europe's largest wildlife conservation parks. It is home to 10,364 animals, many of which are endangered in the wild. The majority of the animals are kept within sizeable enclosures; others, such as Patagonian maras, and red-necked wallabies, roam freely around the park.

https://www.whipsnadezoo.org/

Alex Fox

Reverend Gyosei Handa

 Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo

Reverend Handa was a Buddhist Monk, the abbot of Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda and Temple from 1980 until his sudden death in 2007. He was a follower of Fujii Guruji (1885-1985), a Japanese Monk who established the basic practice of chanting a prayer for peace accompanied by a drum, bowing in respect of whoever he met, and walking to to bring the prayer wherever it is needed.

After the nuclear bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Fujii started the construction of Peace Pagoda's as a way to raise a spiritual basis for people to unite and turn around the threat to all life.

The Peace Pagoda in Milton Keynes is the first in the West, and Reverend Handa was a driving force in its construction and associated work.

He died in August 2007 in an accident doing maintenance work around the Peace Pagoda, just weeks after joining in an anti-nuclear walk and leading the annual Hiroshima Day lantern floating on the lake.

Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkbuddhism/

Alex Fox

Clacton-on-Sea

Clacton-on-Sea, often simply called Clacton, is a coastal town in Essex, England. It lies on the Tendring Peninsula and is the largest settlement in the Tendring District, with a population of 53,200 in 2021. The town is situated around 77 miles (124 km) north-east of London, 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Colchester and 16 miles (26 km) south of Harwich. The area was historically in the parish of Great Clacton. The development of the seaside resort began in the 1870s and was called Clacton-on-Sea to distinguish it from the older village about 1 mile (1.6 km) inland. Great Clacton and Clacton-on-Sea were always administered together, forming a single urban district called Clacton between 1895 and 1974; the two settlements gradually merged into a single urban area during the 20th century. It lies within the Parlimentary constituency of Clacton.

Alex Fox

Hiroshima Day Lanterns

The Hiroshima Day lantern ceremony at the Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda on Willen Lake takes place every year on August 6th to remember the victims of the atomic bombing and all wars.

Event Details

Date: August 6th annually.

Location: In front of the Peace Pagoda at North Willen Lake, Milton Keynes.

Cost: Completely free to attend, and all ages and faiths are welcome.

Organisers: Led by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist monks and nuns who live at the adjacent monastery.

What Happens

Ceremony: The evening features interfaith prayers, guest speeches from various religious backgrounds, music, and traditional Buddhist chanting.

The Lanterns: Local residents from Willen hand-decorate the paper lanterns with peaceful designs.

Lakeside Floating: After the service, attendees walk down to Willen Lake to gently float the candle-lit lanterns across the water as a symbol of hope, unity, and a nuclear-free future.

Atmosphere: Visitors often bring picnic chairs or blankets to sit by the lake during the quiet moment of reflection.

You can check updates and event schedules via The Parks Trust website closer to August each year.

https://www.theparkstrust.com/our-work/heritage/peace-pagoda/

Alex Fox

Birds of Prey

Birds of prey, or raptors, are apex predators equipped with sharp talons, hooked beaks, and exceptional eyesight to hunt live prey.

Key Physical Adaptations

Talons: Strong, curved feet used to catch, hold, and kill prey.

Beaks: Sharp and hooked to tear meat efficiently.

Vision: Incredible eyesight that allows species like falcons to spot small animals from hundreds of feet away.

https://www.birdonthehand.co.uk/

Alex Fox