Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Yorkshire Wildlife Park brings families in touch with some of the world’s most beautiful and at-risk species. With nearly 400 animals and 70 different species of animal, Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a fantastic place to experience a truly breathtaking walkthrough wildlife adventure. Most of the animals at the park are either endangered or threatened, Yorkshire Wildlife Park works closely with charities to help the conservation of endangered species in the wild and captivity.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park History

Commonly referred to as YWP, Yorkshire Wildlife Park was built on the 260-acre site formerly occupied by Brockholes Farm Visitor Centre, which closed to the public in November 2008. Currently occupying approximately 100 acres of the site, the zoo prides itself on being ‘The UK’s Number 1 Walkthrough Wildlife Adventure’ The site was renovated over the 2008–2009 winter season and officially opened by Justin Fletcher, MBE (also known as Mr Tumble from CBeebies) on 4 April 2009.

Lion Country

Lion Country houses a pride of thirteen African lions, all of which came from Oradea Zoological Garden in Romania. The lions were kept in poor living conditions and in small enclosures at the Romanian zoo, which could not adequately care for them. At the time, Lion Rescue was the largest big cat rescue in Europe. As part of the lion’s transportation from Romania to the UK, the pilot began his descent over Amsterdam as he approached Doncaster airport in order to mitigate the effect of the pressure on the lions’ ears! The world’s media was watching and the lions became world-famous overnight. They now live happily, roaming their nine-acre reserve at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Into Africa

Into Africa is an immersive reserve with amazing views of some amazing African animals. The landscaped reserve is home to Ostrich, Antelope, Giraffe and endangered Grevy’s Zebra. With the animals roaming together, into Africa is the closest to a view over the Savannah that you will find outside Africa itself.

Land of the Tiger

Land of the Tiger is home to endangered Amur tigers and their cubs. Featuring two pools, a waterfall and a 150-metre walkway for visitors, Land of the Tiger is one of the largest tiger exhibits in Europe, immersing you into the world of the Amur Tiger!

An endangered species, it is thought that there are less than 500 Amur tigers left in the wild, however, their numbers have been much lower. Hunting had pushed these animals to the brink of extinction in the 1940s, with only 40 remaining in the wild.

Leopard Heights

Leopard Heights at Yorkshire Wildlife Park is the largest Amur leopard facility in Europe. The enclosure is 6000 square metres in size, featuring climbing frames up to ten metres tall and cost £300,000 to build. It houses four Amur leopards, two adults and their two cubs born in June 2015.

Camels

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is home to eleven Bactrian camels, in the wild, camels will live in herds of 6–22 individuals.

South America Viva

South America Viva is a walk-through enclosure displaying several South American species. South America is a land of contrasts, full of colourful, vibrant biodiversity. Get up close and personal with wildlife that you may have never heard of including Patagonian mara, common squirrel monkeys, Azara’s agouti, common rhea and capybara. There are also separate enclosures housing six-banded armadillo, giant anteaters, South American coati, common marmosets and giant otters, which are situated near a South America-themed restaurant called “iCaramba!”.

Project Polar Reserve

Project Polar Reserve houses four male polar bears, these are the only polar bears in an English zoo. The Polar Bears enclosure is ten acres in size and features two pools, the largest of which is eight metres deep and contains 25.5 million gallons of water.

Project Polar is an innovative habitat for polar bears and a dynamic programme for their conservation and welfare. It is also a centre for research to help bears in the wild and in other zoos around the world.

Working in association with Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation (YWPF) and Polar Bears International (PBI), Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Project Polar is Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation’s flagship project. It combines all three key objectives, conservation, welfare and education working towards saving and improving the welfare of one of the most iconic species – the polar bear.

Wallaby Walkabout

In the innovative Wallaby Walkabout reserve, experience wallabies like never before. Walk amongst the wallabies and get close enough to touch them.

Belonging to a family of animals called Macropods, which literally means “bigfoot”, wallabies are native to Australia and Tasmania. The most noticeable thing about marsupials like wallabies is the female’s unique pouch, used to nurse their young. A joey will stay in its mum’s pouch, drinking her milk, until they are six months old when they come out of the pouch to hop around. They will continue to return to mum’s pouch until they can no longer fit!

Meerkat & Mongoose Manor

Home to cheeky meerkats and mongoose, the manor has been purposefully built to replicate the harsh South African desert landscape the meerkats and mongoose are used to, with heated outdoor rocks, deep sand to dig, burrows and termite mounds. Watch as these fabulous characters dig and play in their unique reserve.

Lemur Woods

Lemur Woods is a walk-through enclosure housing groups of ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs. Wander through the Madagascan world of the lemurs in a walkthrough experience that will have you gasping with joy as lemurs leap from the treetops. Lemur Woods is an acre in size with over 20 trees.

Baboon Reserve

Baboon Reserve houses a troop of Guinea baboons that came from Edinburgh Zoo. The old-world monkeys who originate from West Africa are extremely intelligent and curious, they love to play and often solve quite complex problems in the wild.

One of the most intelligent species of animals at the park, the baboons utilise complex vocal and visual displays to communicate their feelings and dominance. Dominant males will yawn to show their teeth, displaying their dominance.

Painted Dogs

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park Painted Dog reserve has been created to mirror their environment in the wild. Painted Dogs are found in Savannah grasslands and woodlands and love playing in waterholes. The reserve has a variety of habitats for them to explore and although they have a house to sleep in they are allowed to dig their own dens and have caves to shelter in.

Painted Dogs live in a pack led by a lead (alpha) female and male. Although there is a hierarchy, there is only a bit of aggression between the pack members.

Giant Otter

The Giant Otter reserve is home to two female Giant Otters. Native to South America the Giant Otter is the longest member of the Mustelidae (weasel) family, growing up to a rather giant length of 5.6ft. Like many other mustelids, Giant Otters are a very social species often supporting three to eight members in typical family groups.

Food and Drink

Paradise Wildlife Park has a wide range of eateries around the Park. All of the food is freshly made on-site each day by their dedicated team of caterers.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park Offers

We regularly feature offers for Yorkshire Wildlife Park and other Zoos and Wildlife Parks across the UK. Click Here to view current Zoo and Wildlife Park Offers and follow our Facebook Page to stay informed.

Travelling to Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is situated just off the M18. Simply follow the brown and white tourist signs or use the postcode DN9 3HQ in your sat-nav.

Travelling by Train

The nearest train station to the park is Doncaster Station. Yorkshire Wildlife Park is around 6 miles by taxi from Doncaster Rail and Bus Interchange. See the Raileasy website for details.

Nearby Accommodation

There are lots of places to stay in Yorkshire. If you only planning on visiting the park for one day and would like to explore some of the other attractions in the area, then take a look at some of the wonderful self-catering cottages available from Snaptrip.

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