SOUTH Cheshire will get a zoo after Reaseheath College was granted a licence.
The college, given the licence by Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, is the first educational establishment of its kind in the country to get the go-ahead to keep zoo animals.
It already has around 150 animals in an animal care unit, including a collection of ring-tailed lemurs, a thriving family of meerkats, and a number of flightless rhea birds.
Now it is set to expand into exotic animals, and under the terms of the licence, families will be allowed to see the unit's new attractions on day visits starting in New Year.
Animal Care section manager Richard Champion said: 'Students already gain hands-on experience by looking after meerkats, ring-tailed lemurs, wallabies, a family of mara, a llama and the latest addition, three skunks. The animal centre also has a reptile house, aviaries and enclosures for more common pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and goats.
'Being granted the zoo licence is great news. It proves we have achieved exceptionally high standards in animal welfare and will enable us to keep an even wider range of exotic species, although there will definitely be no rhinos, lions or bears!'
Veterinary practices from as far as North Wales, the Wirral and throughout Cheshire send their trainees to the Nantwich college to gain experience in handling a range of unusual animals.
Among the exotic creatures to be taking up residency at Reaseheath will be Asian short-clawed otters, racoons and Squirrel monkeys.
Mr Champion added: 'The zoo licence also means that in the future the college will consider opening the animal centre to the public on special event days and for specialist courses on the care of exotic pets.'
