New look and new arrivals at Monte Bird Gardens

This year the Montecasino Bird Gardens decided to embark on a process of rejuvenating the venue while making aesthetic, practical and environmentally friendly changes for the benefit of both visitors and animal residents.

The R1 million revamp was wide-ranging, including an upgrade to the main entrance facade, re-landscaping of the gardens inside and outside the main entrance, refurbishing the mesh in the main aviary and ring-tailed lemur enclosures, re-paving the main walkways, replacing all the garden’s benches with green benches made from 100 percent recycled plastic, replacing the wooden decking in the main aviary and along the boardwalk with artificial wood to guard against decay, and refurbishing the Millionaires’ Row cages, where the most expensive and exotic birds are housed.

Deidre Jameson, property manager at Montecasino, explained that in response to the promise of a spirit of newness throughout the Montecasino Bird Gardens, new arrivals were also welcomed towards the end of 2013.

The staff at the gardens successfully hand reared-three Mexican beaded lizard hatchlings, three southern ground hornbill chicks, a baby ring tailed lemur, and an eastern white pelican chick. The gardens also welcomed a baby crocodile, which was not born at the Bird Gardens but is sure to delight visitors.

Since the Montecasino Bird Gardens opened it has been home to over 179 species of birds, 43 species of reptiles, 16 species of mammals and 12 amphibian species. The gardens also have the largest and most diverse private collection of South African cycads in the world with over 750 plants from 37 different species, including one of the oldest surviving plants estimated to be over 2500 years old.