Howletts Wild Animal Park

In Kent, Howletts Wild Animal Park is popular with visitors, and run by the Aspinall Foundation and is the sister attraction to Port Lympne Reserve.

John Aspinall purchased Howletts in 1957 to support his growing animal collection, with Howletts opening to the public in 1975. Aspinall ultimately believed that animals belonged in the wild and endeavoured to return them to safe areas where possible.

A reserve in the Congo was established in 1987 to protect the critically endangered lowland gorilla and many other projects have been established worldwide since then. The main spheres of conservation activity include captive breeding, education and the rehabilitation of confiscated wild animals.

Howletts Wild Animal Park has the largest collection of western lowland gorillas in the world and the largest herd of African elephants in the UK, home to 400 animals altogether including lions, tigers, black rhino, giant anteaters and many more.

Howletts allows visitors to walk alongside and below, a free roaming family of amazingly agile and lively lemurs at Walking With Lemurs or to have a go on an exhilarating high ropes course full of fun and challenging obstacles. For the younger adventurer, there is the Animal Adventure Challenge featuring slides, a children’s zip line and monkey bars.

Wildlife you might see at Howletts Wild Animal Park

Family and group offers at Howletts Wild Animal Park

Families

Families can become a Passport or Gold Card holder. Benefits include exclusive discounts on a range of animal experiences and encounters as well as guided tours and photography courses, exclusive offers and discounts throughout the year on retail and catering purchases, passport and Gold Card Holders Days and monthly email updates.

Groups

Groups are offered guided tours, team building activities, talks by expert animal teams and lunches.