RSPB-supporting MP tells Commons colleagues where he had first date with woman who was to become his wife

 

James Wild MP - supporter of Plovers in Peril campaign

RSPB-supporting Conservative MP James Wild has revealed where he and the woman who was to become his wife had their first date.

It was in the grounds of London Zoo.

The 47-year-old, who has represented the North West Norfolk constituency since 1994, confided this nugget during yesterday's Commons debate on the work of the zoo.

He told colleagues: "As it happens, my first date with my wife was at London Zoo."

The debate proceeded thus:

Sir Chris Bryant (Lab): You animal!

James Wild (Con): "Check out my surname. 

"We had a lovely time, and obviously it paid off! 

"My wife and I were at the zoo a few weeks ago with one of her friends and her young twins, and its ability to inspire is incredible. 

"I watched those two little girls run off to look at the animals, and it was great. 

"When my wife and I went on our first date, which was some time ago, we were a bit concerned about the state of the facilities. 

"Some of the cages had signs to assure visitors that the animals were not in distress, even though they may have been pacing backwards and forwards. 

"There was an urgent need for modernisation, and when I went back a few weeks ago I noted that some of the enclosures had been improved. 

"I am thinking in particular of the penguin area which is now a great facility and one of my favourite parts of the zoo.

" A few Members have spoken about Guy the gorilla. 

"I understand that his tooth decay was caused by him being fed sweets by people visiting the zoo, so it is very important that only zookeepers should feed the animals. It is important to get that on the record.

Bob Blackman (Con): "Gorillas are herbivores, so they should only be fed by keepers, as my hon. Friend rightly says. 

"They should certainly not be fed sweets. Does he realise that gorillas share 98.4 per cent of their DNA with human beings? 

"They are very close to human beings. Just as tooth decay in humans is concerning, particularly among young children who eat sweets, the same thing applies to gorillas."

James Wild: "My hon. Friend makes a very interesting observation."

Sir Chris Bryant: "I bet Guy could get a dentist!"

Norwich-born Mr Wild (47) and his sweetheart, Natalie Evans (now a Conservative peer in the House of Lords), were married in 2010. 

A keen jogger and cyclist, the MP hopes to beat his marathon best time of 3hrs 36mins when he competes in tomorrow's London event, is in regular contact with the RSPB.

He supports the charity's Plovers in Peril project and shared the charity's outrage when four quad bikers put paid to any chances of ringed plovers nesting on Snettisham Beach in his constituency three years ago.

The previous year, he visited the RSPB's coastal reserve at Titchwell, also in his constituency, to help celebrate World Wetlands Day. 

A keen football fan, Mr Wild's two favourite teams both have birds as their nickname - Division One side Norwich City (Canaries) and non-league Kings Lynn (Linnets).                                                   

The reserve at Snettisham where quad bikers caused devastation to breeding ringed plovers

                                 

Ringed plovers - as ground-nesters they are highly vulnerable to disturbance