There are many striking beasts in at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, so the Kubota RTV utility vehicle is perfectly at home on the 300 acre site, helping to feed and care for the animals as well as ensuring that the grounds are well kept and safe for the 760,000 visitors that the park, near Doncaster, attracts each year.
Well known for its carnivores after taking part in an international rescue operation to save 13 lions from an uncertain future in Romania, the Yorkshire Wildlife Park also has the largest polar bear enclosure outside Canada, and a host of other animals from baboons to wallabies.
The RTVs have the surefooted grip to safely roam the plains at the park, which provides habitats for its residents including grassland, forest, hills and lakes, enabling staff to feed large quantities of fresh meat to lions and tigers, as well as cleaning out enclosures and removing discarded bones for incineration.
More conventional duties include carrying equipment such as strimmers, mowers and chainsaws for the grounds maintenance teams, while the property maintenance staff make good use of the 500kg capacity tipping bed to haul materials and tools to repair pathways, fencing and buildings.
“We enjoy a very good relationship with Kubota dealers Farmstar and Russells, and we have four RTVs in total either owned by us, hired or loaned by the dealer, as well as a Kubota M4 tractor,” explains director Neville Williams.
The terrain and workload are demanding on machines, but Neville comments that the RTV’s strong build makes it ideal for the job.
“The Kubota diesel engine is really solid, and is proven on so many machines you know it’s going to stand up to the work. The RTV is also really easy to look after – with the sort of work ours do, leaves and dirt can get everywhere, but the tipping bed gives great access to the chassis for cleaning.”
Covid-19 regulations have made for challenging working conditions, but Neville says that the nature of the job normally means that groundsmen normally work in pairs, and the spacious cab makes the RTV a great way of getting around, while the straightforward controls and CVT transmission mean that keepers and groundsmen alike can confidently get behind the wheel.
“We need to be constantly in and out, opening gates and checking the animals, so the open canopy with its easy access is another benefit. It’s also straightforward enough for anyone to operate.”
“We keep them very busy – although the last 12 months have meant periods of closure which have led to a drop in income, the animals still need to be cared for and the grounds maintained, so having reliable machinery is a must.”
