This may sound like a scene from a work of fiction or a

children's song, but it is reality in one part of South East

Cornwall.

Exotic animals galore wander the grounds of Porfell Wildlife

Park in the depths of the countryside.

Here, the unusual co-exist with the rather more common sight

of miniature horses, donkeys, rabbits and sheep.

Porfell has been home to John and Joy Palmer – and an

increasing number of unusual species – since the mid-1970s.

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The couple moved to Cornwall in a quest for the Good Life

and later to the farm with the intention of taking in unwanted,

abused, old or injured animals and creating a sanctuary where

the creatures could live out their days.

Mrs Palmer said: “We hope to have planned and developed the

park sensitively, working in and around the beautiful Cornish

landscape to provide a natural environment for animals and

visitors alike.”

Visitors can see animals from a number of continents – such

as zebra, lynx, and porcupines from Africa, wallabies, emus and

cockatoos from Australia and marmosets from South America.

But the sanctuary also caters for scores of sheep, goats,

donkeys, miniature horses, rabbits and guinea pigs which are

all loved and well cared for in a purpose-built children's

farm.

Nature lovers can enjoy a wonderful wooded walk through

Porfell with an especially made boardwalk running through the

boggy areas. Here many species of trees and a rich diversity of

woodland plants can be found.

The Palmers moved from Solihull in the Midlands in 1973 and

lived in Looe, South East Cornwall for three years, keeping

four ponies, four goats and some chickens in a field just up

the lane from their house.

“We moved here with the idea of self-sufficiency and the

television programme the Good Life,” said Mrs Palmer.

The Palmers started to branch out from keeping domestic

animals in their field when they took in a raccoon from a woman

who was moving house to train with the RSPCA.

“We had to get a dangerous wild animals licence,” said Mrs

Palmer. “We had a holiday cottage and so we started taking in a

few more animals that were of interest to visitors.”

Eventually the number of animals they kept meant the Palmers

needed more than a field and so the search for a farm of their

own began.

Mrs Palmer said that she and her husband began the sanctuary

because of their love for animals.

She said: “We just wanted to give the animals a good home

and look after them.

“A lot of the animals that we take in would be put down if

they couldn't come here.”

Mrs Palmer said: “On October 1, 1976 we moved lock, stock

and barrel to Porfell farm, broke but content that all our

animals and any future ones would be safe for life.”

The sanctuary never buys animals but takes them on from

other zoos when they are either too old or if there is

something wrong with them.

Mrs Palmer said: “One example would be a lemur that has

fallen out of a tree and broken its hand. Some animals are

popular at a certain time at zoos and then no longer

popular.”

The Palmers also take animals from the RSPCA and sometimes

are given animals by customs officers after they are

confiscated for being brought into the country illegally.

The sanctuary is a weird and wonderful world where all

animals are welcome – some of them even into the homes of the

sanctuary owners.

Mrs Palmer said: “We've had a deer, who was very sick as a

baby, living in the house for almost a year.

“She would be up on the settee with the Labrador dogs. Now

she has gone to join the other deer – she went without looking

back; it was like saying goodbye to your child on the first day

of school.”

No animals are ever sent away from Porfell and they are kept

there until the end of their days.

Mrs Palmer readily confesses to being moved to tears on a

regular basis as she says her final farewell to animals she has

looked after.

“There's a lot of crying – I think our vets are used to

seeing us crying.

“Animals will often spend a lot of time at the house during

the last few months. We had a meerkat in for six months before

he died.

“We have them in so they know they are not alone.”

But despite the sadness of saying goodbye to animals the

Palmers remain positive and are currently trying to raise funds

for the world's smallest mammal, the bumblebee bat.

Mrs Palmer said: “We're holding a special week at the end of

August to raise money for the protection of the bumblebee bat –

there are only about 260 left of them in the world.”

To keep running, the sanctuary relies on contributions from

visitors and offers the chance to become a friend of the

sanctuary or adopt an animal.

For more information about Porfell call 01503 220211.