Chester Zoo is one of the top 15 zoos in the world. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead after he bought Oakfield Manor and seven acres of land for £3,500. With him, he brought a group of animals from a zoo at Shavington near Crewe – the first animals of Chester Zoo.
In 1934 the North of England Zoological Society was born, which now runs the zoo and the wildlife conservation campaign Act for Wildlife, supporting conservation projects in the wild all over the world and allowing members of the public to get involved and donate.
Zoo staff play a massive role in the fight against extinction too, by sharing their skills and knowledge. The zoo is a highly respected centre for conservation and research, and houses an impressive 11,000 animals and over 400 species, set in 110 acres of gardens.
An ambitious project for 2015 will see a brand new experience, Islands, open at Chester Zoo, with visitors embarking on an expedition to discover six different south east Asian island habitats.
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Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, United Kingdom
Chester Zoo is one of the top 15 zoos in the world. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead after he bought Oakfield Manor and seven acres of land for £3,500. With him, he brought a group of animals from a zoo at Shavington near Crewe – the first animals of Chester Zoo.
Wildlife you might see at Chester Zoo
Asian Elephant
The elephant of southern Asia. Is smaller than the African elephant, with smaller ears and only one lip to the…
Asiatic Lion
Their habitat once ranged from the Mediterranean to north-west Indian subcontinent. Today they're found only in the Gir Forest of…
Black Rhino
A two-horned rhinoceros with a prehensile upper lip, native to eastern and central Africa. Referred to as black, its colours…
Bornean Orangutan
A species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Highly intelligent, they display advanced tool use and distinct cultural…
Cheetah
A large slender spotted cat found in Africa and parts of Asia. It's the fastest animal on land, with their…
Chimpanzee
Great ape with large ears, mainly black coloration, and lighter skin on the face, native to the forests of west…
Grevy’s Zebra
It is the largest and most endangered of the three species of zebra. Found in Kenya and Ethiopia, it is…
Ring-tailed Lemur
Endemic to the island of Madagascar and highly recognised for its long, black and white ringed tail. Despite being the…
Sumatran Orangutan
One of the two species of orangutans, the other being the Bornean orangutan. Found only on the island of Sumatra,…
Sumatran Tiger
A rare tiger subspecies inhabiting the island of Sumatra, classed as critically endangered with an estimated 441 to 679 left.…
Family and group offers at Chester Zoo
Families
Family admission ticket for 2 adults and 2 children (3-15 years) and summer exhibits.
Groups
- Savings for groups of 15 or more.
- Sheltered picnic area.
- Meal vouchers and pre-ordered picnic boxes.
- Exclusive guided tours.
- Pre-ordered souvenirs from the gift shop.
- Pre-booked monorail and waterbus tickets.