What’s Exmoor Zoo?
The dictionary says we are a collection of animals and the geography says we are located on Exmoor (one of the 3 big moors of South-west England)!
Probably not enough to make you consider visiting!
What is special about Exmoor Zoo?
Ahh, now this more interesting. So, what makes us unique!
First and foremost, we are a family run zoo for families and our animals do have priority! This means we are not really like anything perhaps you are used to! We feel that the animal’s welfare does come first!
Our unique bits!
1. We are not so large as to be difficult to get around - 2 or 3 hours at a leisurely pace enjoying viewing the animals is ample for a look and go.
2. Assuming like 80% of our visitors you come in the late Spring to late autumn period then we deliberately have very natural and sometimes overgrown natural enclosures that help you see the animals we exhibit!
3. What we do well is that we have events, talks and encounter sessions running just about every half hour or more in the summer. So, from 11.00am to 4.15pm every summers day something is going on that you can choose to ignore or join in with!
4. We always have some sort of organized trail for the children in operation so they can actively look for clues and trail quiz boxes – it keeps them active and entertained – you just need to bring a pencil!
Special animals
What do we have here in the way of special animals for you? Nothing massive but everything unique!
1. We are on the side of Exmoor national park so as you would expect we have the legendary “Exmoor Beast”! Come and see!
2. We are members of the British & European zoo association who we cooperate with to breed and hold unique endangered animals! We exhibit amongst many others binturong, Sitatunga, tayra, singing dog, fishing cat, kea, potoroo, Wonga pigeon and morelet’s crocodile – all evocative and strange sounding animals!
3. Some very special animals are on exhibit that you may not expect in a smaller zoo such as hunting dog (the African wild dogs), wolverine (expected summer 2017), cheetah, our “red riding hood” grey wolves, mountain cougar and sand cats!
4. Everybody’s favorites are here. Meerkats, monkeys, parrots, wallabies, snakes & spiders!
Friendly atmosphere
A family run (not corporate) zoo can make a very pleasant feeling to your visit. We try very hard to encourage you to enjoy the visit and all our keepers especially are very friendly. We regularly meet, talk and encounter you, so you get to meet most of us here!
The natural vegetation and the way the exotic plants like bamboo and Gunnera (the big rhubarb leaf like plant) and the South-west cordyline palms appear as if naturally around and in the zoo as you walk gives a very jungle like atmosphere and removes other visitors from your sight and hearing!
Finally, the beautiful North Devon rural landscape we have gently developed into can be a treasure to enjoy especially if you take a walk down in our Nature trail beside a typical Exmoor mountain stream!
Conclusion
No visit is ever the same!
Change the time of year you visit and the seasons change, baby animals are born, the weather can make a huge difference on yours and the animals behaviours, the native natural wildlife is everywhere and let’s be fair a zoo is a great place to see some of the world’s most unusual animals!
Come and try us!