The Princess Royal is known to be a huge animal lover, so it comes as no surprise to anybody that the 66-year-old jumped at the chance to get close and personal to birds of prey in Gloucester on Thursday.
The Queen’s daughter visited the International Centre for Birds of Prey (ICBP) in Gloucestershire, to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary.
Having been open to the public since 1967, ICBP is the oldest dedicated Bird of Prey centre in the world and now houses about 230 birds.
Birds on display include owls, eagles, kites, hawks and even vultures.
It was a two-year-old Abysinnian Eagle Owl called Muggy who sat on Princess Anne’s hand on Thursday.
The Princess had admired the bird before it flew away into the distance.
ICBP was first opened in May 1967 with only 12 birds on offer, and it was the first dedicated bird of prey centre in the UK. Fast forward 50 years, it is now the oldest dedicated bird of prey centre in the world; and has the largest and most successful breeding collection of Falconiformes and Strigiformes and is most respected in the ornithological and scientific world of raptors.
In 2015, after 50 years of being run by a family, the International Centre for Birds of Prey became a charity. By becoming a charity, it is hoped that the future of the centre is secured and that the collection of birds of prey will continue to thrive.
You can find out more about the International Centre for Birds of Prey by clicking here to be redirected to their website.