Record crowds flock to Ascot campus for falconry displays and butterfly walks

It was another ‘wild success’ for Imperial College in Ascot as one of their annual events transformed Silwood Park into a ‘buzzing hub of nature-themed discovery.’

The event on July 29 - Bugs, Birds and Beasts - prides itself on blending a summer family day out with the ‘cutting-edge’ ecological knowledge of their students, researchers and professors.

This year more than ever, the college is beaming with pride as they doubled the number of visitors which, for the first time, ran into the thousands.

The festival’s diverse range of activities ensured there was something for everyone to enjoy, from ‘dramatic’ falconry displays to guided butterfly walks through the picturesque grounds of Silwood.

Professor Vincent Savolainen, director of the Georgina Mace Centre (a group of researchers who tackle some of the planets greatest environmental challenges), is full of praise for the event.

He said: “Children are often less engaged with nature these days – and Bugs, Birds & Beasts Day aims to change this by providing hands-on wildlife experiences to school kids.”

The festival hopes to exercise curious minds and aims to leave youngsters with a renewed appreciation for the natural world sitting right outside their doorstep.

At Bugs, Birds and Beasts the guests ‘learned the importance of biodiversity’, and how the natural world supports life ‘in both visible and unseen ways’.

The kids weren’t the only ones who ‘left with wide smiles’ from the event. Parents also enjoyed the scientific displays, music from a live orchestra and dishes from the local community’s favourite food vendors.

^{Photo by Joma Blair.}