All of them. Simple. End of blog.
Just kidding, this isn't the end of the blog!
I just want to state right now that every single accredited Zoo, every single Sanctuary and Rescue, Safari Park and Aquarium are all doing an amazing job, are worth a visit and will all have a great team of dedicated keepers working for them.
I have listed some of my top Zoos in the UK (not in any particular order) and the reason why I love them so much. All pictures used in this blog are mine, taken during trips to the Zoos.
1- Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a beautiful zoo set in a beautiful area. There is a great, natural flow to the zoo so you don't have to double back on yourself and you see everything as you are wandering around. The enclosures are very species suitable, aesthetically pleasing for visitors and offer everything the animal needs. The main attraction, for me, is the Polar Bears! The only zoo in England with Polar Bears (Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland has them). They also have Okapi, not often seen in zoos.
2- Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo is the only zoo in the UK with all 4 Great Apes, thus making them the only zoo in the UK with Bonobos. These are an amazing species and are great fun to observe. There is a lot of space at Twycross Zoo, the park naturally splits into what feels like 3 sections. The main area along the main path, Wet and Wild (which splits off from the main path) and the farm and pets area which is behind the entrance. The zoo also houses the very rare Amur Leopards and have one of the nicest Giraffe houses I have seen. The Chimpanzee house offers a chance for close up encounters with the Chimps.
3- Edinburgh Zoo
What a zoo. I recently visited Edinburgh Zoo for the first time and honestly I loved it! A large zoo with a great variety of species including Giant Pandas (the only in the UK) and Koalas! What really blew me away was the Penguin enclosure. Not only was there an insane variety of species, there was multiple viewing areas, walkways through the middle of the enclosure and lots of usable space.
4- Chester Zoo
Chester is a highly rated zoo and it's not hard to see why. The enclosures are stunning, they work well for both the public and the animals which is a good and important balance to have. The zoo is separated into geographical locations which I loveeee to see in a zoo. There are a large variety of species and I know Chester do a lot of work breeding the smaller, 'less appreciated' species. The guys who are the opposite of flagship species, and I love that.
5- Bristol Zoo
A bit of a smaller zoo but still impressive. The Gorilla enclosure here nearly had me in tears, watching the Gorillas go and pick Willow for their selves from the tree growing in the outdoor enclosure was amazing. Such a natural behaviour and a lot more realistic, enriching and work compared to the keepers presenting cut browse (which I'm sure they do as-well to substitute, as Gorillas eat a lot of leafy browse!). To top it off, the indoor Gorilla house is all glass, including the ceiling so you can look up and watch the youngsters playing with their blankets. I'ts beautiful.
There is also a great variety of species here and some rarer ones such as Pygmy Hippos and Tree Kangaroos!
6- Cotswold Wildlife Park
A beautiful zoo set in a beautiful part of the UK. The Rhino enclosure here is one of my favourite every enclosures. It is massive and offers a lot of grazing space for the Rhinos, plus the public love it as you feel very close to the Rhino and there is a stunning manor house to fill in the background. There is a lovely walled garden area of the zoo that houses some of the smaller species including the insane Lemur walkthrough! They have a lot of Lemur species including Sifakas which are amazing to see. It's also a dog friendly zoo!
7- All things wild
A bit of a smaller, lesser known zoo but one that should not be overlooked. I had never seen Beavers until I visited All Things Wild! They were great to watch and very active. This zoo caters a lot for families and there is lots for kids to do. I'm not a huge fan of when zoos do Dinosaur exhibits but I give credit where it is due, and All Things Wild smashed it out the park with their Dinosaur area. Very nicely laid out, felt very realistic, very educational and very enjoyable.
8- Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
And now we are getting even smaller! A zoo close to my heart and close to my home. My volunteer zookeeper career started here and I am forever grateful to the park and the keepers for teaching me all I know! For such a small park tucked away at the back of a very busy city they have an amazing variety of species including Bush Dogs, Binturoung, Red Pandas, Sloths and Pied Tamarins! They make the most of their limited space and design the most natural looking enclosures. The whole park has the same theme and vibe throughout which ties it all together nicely.
9- Birmingham Sealife Centre
Another one closer to home for myself and my favourite thing about the Sealife Centre in Birmingham has to be the Sea Otters! They are utterly (otterly, ha!) adorable, so fun to watch and so active! Like all Sealife centres they have a fabulous walk-through glass tunnel filled with stunning sea creatures and a wonderful Sea Turtle!
10- Trentham Monkey Forest
A zoo with no mesh! Here you can walk along the paths and have the monkeys walk with you. As the name of the zoo states, it is a Monkey park so, the species here are limited but that does not take away from the impact this place has! It is set in a stunning piece of forest and the animals can move around freely, expressing all the natural behaviours.
11- Crocodiles of the World
This is the only Crocodile Zoo in the UK but that doesn't mean it is limited to just Crocs. There are plenty of mammal species to see here including an amazing Otter enclosure. However, for me, the Crocs really do steal the show and rightfully so. The Croc house is great to walk around, as you are higher up and the Crocs down below. I also love this place as I know the Keepers and the Owner build a lot, if not all, the enclosures themselves! It's so impressive when you see the enclosures as they are beautifully done.
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