UMGENI RIVER BIRD PARK - Durban

The Bird Park was privately owned by a group of men who were primarily bird lovers and driven by the desire to educate and create an empathy for birds with people who would not in the ordinary course of their lives encounter different bird species from all over the world. The Bird Park was well supported by local residents, SA holiday makers and tourists alike. The Bird Park enjoyed the reputation of being the finest Bird Park in the Southern Hemisphere by maintaining the Park in a world class pristine and aesthetically attractive standard and continuously adding new exhibits ensuring the return of visitors for the next addition. The devastating floods of 1987 which washed away Riverside Road in front of the Park, threatened to flood the entire Park resulting in the bird collection being  

Show more

evacuated to the Abrey’s home on top of the hill overlooking the Park. By 1989 the Umgeni River Bird Park was awarded the “Premier Durban Attraction” by the Durban Tourism Board and was home to over 4, 500 birds of 400 different species. In 1995 construction commenced on the Free Flight Bird Show arena and an American Bird Trainer was employed to train the Bird Park staff in show production and bird training. One year later the arena was complete and the first show was staged. In early 1997 ownership of the Umgeni River Bird Park changed hands with the new owners upholding the philosophy of “INSPIRE TO CONSERVE”