Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs Dunstable and Whipsnade. The slopes have a typical chalk downland flora, and there are also habitats of scrub and tall herbs. The site is also important for butterflies. There is access from the Chilterns Gateway Centre on Whipsnade Road. Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs is a 73.4 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest in Dunstable in Bedfordshire. It was notified in 1987 under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the local planning authority is Central Bedfordshire Council. It is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and part of it is owned
Whipsnade Zoo locations featured in BBC's "Super Vets". It featured in an episode of the CBBC programme "Brum" in 1991, titled "Safari Park". Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury's have also used the zoo's background for a television advert. The BBC's "Merlin" used parts of Whipsnade as a filming location for Season 1, and the famous lion landmark is featured in behind the scenes footage from the DVDs. The zoo also served as one of the tasks for BBC Three's "Young, Dumb and Living Off Mum". "Tots TV" visited Whipsnade. In 2002, a 20-year-old elephant named Anna died three days after giving birth to