About Colchester Zoo:
Home to over 155 species and set in 60 acres of parkland and lakes, Colchester Zoo hosts many different habitats, from the humid home of our Komodo Dragons to our very own Africa plain, Kingdom of the Wild, home to white rhino, giraffes, ostrich, zebra and kudu.
We also have many fantastic undercover areas, so you can stay warm and dry on even the wettest of days. Stop by the Rajang’s Forest and see if you can hang for as long as an orangutan, feed our rainbow lorikeets in their tropical walkthrough aviary, Australian Rainbows. PLUS you can also walk through areas such as Worlds Apart, the perfect place to warm up on a chilly day!
Colchester Zoo also offers a range of food and drink options so there’s no need to worry about a picnic! PLUS there are loads of gifts and treats in our Outpost Gift Shop, so you can find the perfect souvenir to remember your day! The Outpost Gift Shop is accessible without having to enter the zoo so you can even pop by for a spot of shopping or to find the perfect gift for a loved one.
Colchester Zoo has always cared passionately about the world’s threatened species, and created its charity Action for the Wild to assist conservation projects worldwide. This includes our own project, the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Since receiving charity status in 2004 Action for the Wild has donated over £1.2million to conservation programmes, as well as supporting conservation research. As a privately owned zoo, funding the zoo’s further development as well as assisting these projects in the wild is only possible with the support of the community, through all your visits and the funds Colchester Zoo receive from retail and catering sales. Thank you!
Colchester Zoo pursues this mission by:
• Enabling our visitors to experience a stimulating and enjoyable day out that is excellent value for money and time
• Keeping animals in modern, naturalistic enclosures in accordance with best practice
• Participating in co-ordinated breeding programmes
• Giving priority to species that are threatened in the wild
• Increasing public understanding of species and their welfare
• Increasing understanding of the issues involved in conservation and the breeding of endangered species
• Supporting field conservation programmes in the wild, through Colchester Zoo’s Action for the Wild
• Developing its role as a centre for research
• Promoting care for the environment through education and leading by example
• Maintaining and developing an education programme from pre-school to degree level
• Playing a significant role nationally and internationally to conserve endangered species and improve standards of animal welfare.