Alphabetical Listing Of Current And Former Animal Collections In The UK
Below is an alphabetical listing of all animal collections in the UK, both past and present with information relating to the history of the collection below it.
Special thanks go to Gie Robeyns and Dennis Vrettos for kindly allowing me to use their images on this page.
Also, special thanks go to Paul Murphy of UK Zoo History (www.zoohistory.co.uk) for his invaluable information on closed animal collections.
Due to the large amount of data on this page, I have had to split the UK Zoos List over 2 pages.
Raptor Foundation
The charity now known as The Raptor Foundation was started in 1989 by Stewart and Liz McQuillan, following a chance encounter on a campsite in Norfolk in 1989. Stewart, a former
Rainforest, Manchester, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed October 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rays Farm Country Matters
Reaseheath College
Reef Live Project, Manchester, Lancashire (CLOSED)
This collection never opened to the public.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Reptile Trust, Burnopfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne (CLOSED)
Riber Castle Wildlife Park, Matlock, Derbyshire (CLOSED)
Closed in October 2000.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rockwater Bird Centre, Burnley, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed October 2003.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Royal Botanic Gardens
Rutland Falconry and Owl Centre
Rutland Farm Park, Oakham, Rutland (CLOSED)
Closed in July 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rutland Water Butterfly Farm and Aquatic Centre
Safari Parties (Grangewood Zoo)
Scottish Zoo and Variety Circus, Glasgow (CLOSED)
The Scottish Zoo opened near Sauchiehall Street on 12th May, 1897, inside a large building. It was the brainchild of Edward H. Bostock, a great-nephew of George Wombwell. E.H. Bostock had taken over the Wombwell touring menageries, adding his own name to the business in the process.
A charming, fictionalised description by John Joy Bell of a visit to the Scottish Zoo (written in Glaswegian) appeared in the Evening Times newspaper in 1902. This mentions performing lions and tigers, E.H. Bostock's famous stuffed elephant (now in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum), a polar bear, sloth bear, hyaenas, camels ('the wee yin's face is awfu' like Aunt Purdie'), parrots, monkeys, common seal, Californian sealion, and a tapir.
Screech Owl Sanctuary
Sea Life Adventure
Sea Life Centre
Sea Life Centre
Sea Life Centre
Seacombe Aquarium
Seal Sanctuary
SeaQuarium
Secret World Wildlife Rescue
Sewerby Zoo
Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Sherwood Forest Farm Park
Shire Falconry, Desborough, Northamptonshire (CLOSED)
Closed in July 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Small Breeds Farm Park and Owl Centre
Smithills Open Farm
South Lakes Wild Animal Park
Southampton Zoo, Southampton (CLOSED)
South of England Rare Breeds Centre
Southport Zoo and Conservation Centre, Southport (CLOSED)
Closed in August 2004.
(Other) Southport Zoo(s) (CLOSED)
Published in The Bartlett Society newsletter of November 1998 Gwyn Griffiths noted of Southport :-
"Over the years Southport has had at least seven collections of one sort or another!
1. The Alexandra Hotel Strawberry Gardens had a "small zoological collection" by 1873. It seems to have concentrated on smaller animals, though it did have tigers at some stage. Closure not traced, but perhaps 1880s?
2. The Winter Gardens and Aquarium opened in 1874, part of the aquarium 'craze' of that era. Again closure date uncertain, but before 1896 (probably some time before!).
3. Kew Gardens. This was the Alexandra site renamed from 1884. By 1901 it had an aviary, and in 1903 plans for a "zoo" were announced. This opened around 1906, suffered a fire in 1908 (the victims of which included two elephants), but remained open until 1912 at least. A 1908 article depicts quite an impressive looking Monkey House.
4. The Botanic Gardens opened in 1874 in the Churchtown area. A 1903 article makes no mention of animals, but by 1906 there were aviaries and a"large" monkey house.
5. In 1910 William Simpson Cross, the Liverpool animal dealer, reopened the Winter Gardens and Aquarium site as the Winter Gardens (later Empire) Zoo (rather strangely, as Cross had been involved in the Kew Gardens venture as recently as 1908). An impressive collection was offered, hut it seems to have closed in 1914.
6. The third collection on the Kew Gardens site opened in around 1928/30, with Frank Farrar's father as proprietor. It offered "rare animals and birds" and a "monkey house" (had the 1908 structure survived`?). The venture seems to have lasted only 2-3 years!
7. Finally, there's the post-war collection of Frank Farrar!
These notes are of course only the briefest of summaries."
In the same newsletter Clin Keeling then commented :-
"Oddly enough, I recall an eighth such place in this elegant town, and while I appreciate some would dispute it was a zoological collection in the accepted sense of the word, in my view it was indeed one.
In November 1952 I admired a collection of birds in Southport's principal park - I think Princes Park. Pheasants and other birds of similar size occupied aviaries, but in a large greenhouse or conservatory was a good collection of Parrots - perhaps twenty-odd birds of a dozen or so species, and I noted with approval that not only were they labelled, but the scientific names were given too. I was particularly pleased with their setting, as to me a Victorian glasshouse, lavishly planted with large Ferns and Palms, amid which brightly hued tropical birds disport themselves is getting close to Heaven on earth."
Southport Zoo was run by Doug and Carole Petrie from 1964 to its closure in 2004.
The website for isSouthport reported as of February 2006 that :-
"Today we can reveal that the former Southport Zoo, taken over by Pleasure-land last year, is about to be turned into a five-zone paintballing arena."
Information provided by Zoo History UK (www.zoohistory.co.uk).
St Leonards Farm Park
Stagsden Bird Gardens, Stagsden, Bedfordshire (CLOSED)
Closed in January 1989.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Stapeley Water Gardens
Staunton Country Park
Stewart Park, Pets Corner
Stockley Working Farm
Stratford on Avon Butterfly Farm
Studley Grange Butterfly World
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery
Sussex Falconry Centre
Tamar Otter Sanctuary
Tattenhall Dairy Products
Thames Valley Falconry & Conservation Centre, Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire (CLOSED)
The Butterfly Centre
The Deep
Thorpe Park Farm
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens
Tilgate Nature Centre
Tow Law Nursery and Butterfly Farm, Tow Law, Durham (CLOSED)
Closed in February 2005.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Towneley Hall Museum Aquarium, Burnley, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed February 2004.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Trentham Monkey Forest Ltd
Trereife Farm Park
Trilakes Animal Park
Tropical Birdland (Leicestershire) Ltd
Tropical Bird Park, Ventnor, Isle Of Wight (CLOSED)
Closed in July 1999.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife & Falconry Centre
Tropical Wings
Tropical World
Tropiquaria
Trotters World of Animals
Tulleys Farm
Turbary Woods Owl & Birds Of Prey Sanctuary
Twin Lakes Park
Twycross Zoological Gardens
Below is an alphabetical listing of all animal collections in the UK, both past and present with information relating to the history of the collection below it.
Special thanks go to Gie Robeyns and Dennis Vrettos for kindly allowing me to use their images on this page.
Also, special thanks go to Paul Murphy of UK Zoo History (www.zoohistory.co.uk) for his invaluable information on closed animal collections.
Due to the large amount of data on this page, I have had to split the UK Zoos List over 2 pages.
Raptor Foundation
The charity now known as The Raptor Foundation was started in 1989 by Stewart and Liz McQuillan, following a chance encounter on a campsite in Norfolk in 1989. Stewart, a former
Rainforest, Manchester, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed October 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rays Farm Country Matters
Reaseheath College
Reef Live Project, Manchester, Lancashire (CLOSED)
This collection never opened to the public.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Reptile Trust, Burnopfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne (CLOSED)
Riber Castle Wildlife Park, Matlock, Derbyshire (CLOSED)
Closed in October 2000.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rockwater Bird Centre, Burnley, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed October 2003.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Royal Botanic Gardens
Rutland Falconry and Owl Centre
Rutland Farm Park, Oakham, Rutland (CLOSED)
Closed in July 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Rutland Water Butterfly Farm and Aquatic Centre
Safari Parties (Grangewood Zoo)
Scottish Zoo and Variety Circus, Glasgow (CLOSED)
The Scottish Zoo opened near Sauchiehall Street on 12th May, 1897, inside a large building. It was the brainchild of Edward H. Bostock, a great-nephew of George Wombwell. E.H. Bostock had taken over the Wombwell touring menageries, adding his own name to the business in the process.
A charming, fictionalised description by John Joy Bell of a visit to the Scottish Zoo (written in Glaswegian) appeared in the Evening Times newspaper in 1902. This mentions performing lions and tigers, E.H. Bostock's famous stuffed elephant (now in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum), a polar bear, sloth bear, hyaenas, camels ('the wee yin's face is awfu' like Aunt Purdie'), parrots, monkeys, common seal, Californian sealion, and a tapir.
Screech Owl Sanctuary
Sea Life Adventure
Sea Life Centre
Sea Life Centre
Sea Life Centre
Seacombe Aquarium
Seal Sanctuary
SeaQuarium
Secret World Wildlife Rescue
Sewerby Zoo
Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Sherwood Forest Farm Park
Shire Falconry, Desborough, Northamptonshire (CLOSED)
Closed in July 2001.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Small Breeds Farm Park and Owl Centre
Smithills Open Farm
South Lakes Wild Animal Park
Southampton Zoo, Southampton (CLOSED)
South of England Rare Breeds Centre
Southport Zoo and Conservation Centre, Southport (CLOSED)
Closed in August 2004.
(Other) Southport Zoo(s) (CLOSED)
Published in The Bartlett Society newsletter of November 1998 Gwyn Griffiths noted of Southport :-
"Over the years Southport has had at least seven collections of one sort or another!
1. The Alexandra Hotel Strawberry Gardens had a "small zoological collection" by 1873. It seems to have concentrated on smaller animals, though it did have tigers at some stage. Closure not traced, but perhaps 1880s?
2. The Winter Gardens and Aquarium opened in 1874, part of the aquarium 'craze' of that era. Again closure date uncertain, but before 1896 (probably some time before!).
3. Kew Gardens. This was the Alexandra site renamed from 1884. By 1901 it had an aviary, and in 1903 plans for a "zoo" were announced. This opened around 1906, suffered a fire in 1908 (the victims of which included two elephants), but remained open until 1912 at least. A 1908 article depicts quite an impressive looking Monkey House.
4. The Botanic Gardens opened in 1874 in the Churchtown area. A 1903 article makes no mention of animals, but by 1906 there were aviaries and a"large" monkey house.
5. In 1910 William Simpson Cross, the Liverpool animal dealer, reopened the Winter Gardens and Aquarium site as the Winter Gardens (later Empire) Zoo (rather strangely, as Cross had been involved in the Kew Gardens venture as recently as 1908). An impressive collection was offered, hut it seems to have closed in 1914.
6. The third collection on the Kew Gardens site opened in around 1928/30, with Frank Farrar's father as proprietor. It offered "rare animals and birds" and a "monkey house" (had the 1908 structure survived`?). The venture seems to have lasted only 2-3 years!
7. Finally, there's the post-war collection of Frank Farrar!
These notes are of course only the briefest of summaries."
In the same newsletter Clin Keeling then commented :-
"Oddly enough, I recall an eighth such place in this elegant town, and while I appreciate some would dispute it was a zoological collection in the accepted sense of the word, in my view it was indeed one.
In November 1952 I admired a collection of birds in Southport's principal park - I think Princes Park. Pheasants and other birds of similar size occupied aviaries, but in a large greenhouse or conservatory was a good collection of Parrots - perhaps twenty-odd birds of a dozen or so species, and I noted with approval that not only were they labelled, but the scientific names were given too. I was particularly pleased with their setting, as to me a Victorian glasshouse, lavishly planted with large Ferns and Palms, amid which brightly hued tropical birds disport themselves is getting close to Heaven on earth."
Southport Zoo was run by Doug and Carole Petrie from 1964 to its closure in 2004.
The website for isSouthport reported as of February 2006 that :-
"Today we can reveal that the former Southport Zoo, taken over by Pleasure-land last year, is about to be turned into a five-zone paintballing arena."
Information provided by Zoo History UK (www.zoohistory.co.uk).
St Leonards Farm Park
Stagsden Bird Gardens, Stagsden, Bedfordshire (CLOSED)
Closed in January 1989.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Stapeley Water Gardens
Staunton Country Park
Stewart Park, Pets Corner
Stockley Working Farm
Stratford on Avon Butterfly Farm
Studley Grange Butterfly World
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery
Sussex Falconry Centre
Tamar Otter Sanctuary
Tattenhall Dairy Products
Thames Valley Falconry & Conservation Centre, Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire (CLOSED)
The Butterfly Centre
The Deep
Thorpe Park Farm
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens
Tilgate Nature Centre
Tow Law Nursery and Butterfly Farm, Tow Law, Durham (CLOSED)
Closed in February 2005.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Towneley Hall Museum Aquarium, Burnley, Lancashire (CLOSED)
Closed February 2004.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Trentham Monkey Forest Ltd
Trereife Farm Park
Trilakes Animal Park
Tropical Birdland (Leicestershire) Ltd
Tropical Bird Park, Ventnor, Isle Of Wight (CLOSED)
Closed in July 1999.
Information provided by DEFRA.
Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife & Falconry Centre
Tropical Wings
Tropical World
Tropiquaria
Trotters World of Animals
Tulleys Farm
Turbary Woods Owl & Birds Of Prey Sanctuary
Twin Lakes Park
Twycross Zoological Gardens