Visitor experience to be enhanced at Wild Ireland

The Wild Ireland wildlife habitat has been given the go ahead for improvement works.

The stunning nine-acre wildlife habitat in Burnfoot opened in 2019 and its visitor experience is now set to be enhanced. 

Owner Killian McLaughlin sought planning permission for increasing areas of existing animal enclosures with new containing fencing.

Among the plans are new enclosures for red deer and wolves and an extension of the existing bear enclosure.

New pedestrian link walkways and a viewing area will also be added to Wild Ireland, which welcomes over 130,000 visitors every year.

Wild Ireland, located in a Celtic rainforest at Dundrain, Burnfoot, is home to rescue bears, wolves, wild boar and a lynx.

The Buncrana solicitor and zoologist worked with international charities to rescue animals and bring them back to Ireland for rehabilitation and for educating people about welfare.

Wild Ireland was the subject of a TV documentary, Return Of The Wild - The Bearman Of Buncrana first aired on RTE in 2020 and hit Netflix last year.

Donegal County Council granted permission for the works, subject to five conditions.

They include that all sound trees, shrubs and hedgerow shall be retained and any tree or shrub species subsequently dying shall be replaced.

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All site boundaries shall be planted with hedgerow of semi-mature species native to the area within first planting season following commencement of development while adequate provision shall be made to facilitate access to and use of the development by disabled persons.