5 Ethical Zoos in England

Ethical Travel, the search for ethical zoos in England and the best zoos for animal welfare across the globe is a hot topic at the moment.

The use of animals being used as entertainment for travellers who don’t know any better is central to a lot of debates in the recent years, and rightly so. From the Whale Sharks of Donsol; to the endless list of Elephant ‘sanctuaries’ across South East Asia, even lion walking in ‘sanctuaries’ across South Africa, there is a lot of darkness hidden behind these tourist attractions that tout themselves as conservation zoos and because of this, lines have been blurred between those well-meaning sanctuaries and zoos who’s only aim is to line their own pockets.

It’s hard to know who you can trust and what to support when it comes to these topics, so it’s understandable that tourists are becoming more hesitant to visit even the most ethical zoos in the UK. It’s safe to say though, that England has some of the best ethical zoos and around and you won’t be left disappointed in the way the animals are kept.

Here is a list of our favourite Zoos in England that do their absolute best for the animals, inside and out of the soo, ensuring their happiness and conservation remains at the top of the zoo’s priorities:

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London Zoo

Is London Zoo ethical?… London Zoo is without a doubt one of the best ethical zoos in the UK and despite being so close to the City centre it offers one of the best conservation experiences you could ask for and arguable one of the best zoos for animal welfare. The habitats here are huge and kept as close to natural as possible. Kangaroos have access to large sweeping sandy plains; The Tigers are able to hide in long shrubbery and grasslands. They also do a lot for the conservation of local wildlife too; Currently tracking the numbers and progress of the Thames Marine Mammals to ensure they remain safe.

Londoners are amongst the worst in the UK for using plastic bottles too, that’s why London Zoo have come up with the #oneless movement which aims to change peoples way of thinking when it comes to using single-use plastic. You won’t find any plastic bottles in their cafes or shops throughout the zoo. That’s just one reason why we love them so much!

Adult prices start at £38 so we highly recommend you pack a picnic and make a day of it.

If you’ve already visited the best ethical zoos in England, here are some more off the beaten track type of things to do in London

Woburn Safari

Woburn safari is one of the ethical zoos in England with a twist. Woburn lets you experience a slightly different insight into the animal’s lives by keeping you in the cages. Stay in the comfort of your car, drive through the wild exhibits and watch the animals display their natural behaviour almost completely free of walls and with minimal human interactions. From bears, wolves and Lions to Rhino and Giraffe there’s plenty for everyone.

So are safari parks ethical in the UK? In keeping with our list of ethical zoos in England, Woburn has an extensive breeding programme to try to keep these amazing creatures numbers up as well as actively help support conservation groups out in the fields. Groups like ‘save the Rhino international’, who are fighting the very real fight against Rhino poaching in Africa.

For an online ticket price of £26 (adult) and £19 (child) it may seem like a pricey day but you can go around as many times as you like to really make the most of it – Why not be brave and go through the Monkey enclosure and see what mischief they’re getting up to.

Here are some handy tips to make your wildlife encounters even more special!

Monkey World

Monkey World is probably the most recognisable of the ethical zoos in England due to being featured on the popular TV programme Monkey Life, so if you’re familiar with that you know how much hard work goes into rescuing and conserving the many species they house.

Although not technically a ‘conservation zoo’, this centre is definitely worth a visit to help support the global mission that Monkey World is on. Monkey world works with global governments helping pull animals in need out of harmful and illegal situations, meaning that Primates from all across the globe end up here after being rescued from the illegal pet trade, animal testing labs and poachers.

A day visit here will only cost you £18.50 per adult making it one of the cheapest ethical zoos in England, but they also accept (and are grateful for) donations, also any purchase made in the gift shop goes towards helping the centre too.

Read about our experiences in one of Indonesia’s most famous monkey sanctuaries here!

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Yorkshire wildlife park is hands down my favourite of the ethical zoos or conservation zoos in England, no competition, no doubt in my mind. I have watched this place grow from a little farm with a few rescue Zebra to the large education conservation zoo, often being praised on national news, that it is now. This is possibly the smallest zoo in the UK (It might have been, but it’s recent improvements and massive extension has possibly changed that.)

It does, however, boast one of the world’s largest Polar Bear Reserves – home to Nobby, Nissan, Pixel and Victor; Four males who have been rescued from all over the world and are hoped to become a part of a breeding programme in an aim to raise the wild numbers of these majestic creatures.

NEW for 2018 in YWP is 4 Nusurri brown bears. Rescued from horrific homes in Japan, these 4 bears are now safe in YWP where they’re able to swim, dig and play on grass for the first time in their lives.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park works with groups all over the world to help save endangered, miss-treated or suffering animals and give them a life they deserve. Their enclosures are huge and it’s a place you’d not expect to find just a short drive from Doncaster, a Yorkshire city with some great shopping. If there’s one thing you can expect from one of the most ethical zoos in England though, it’s a fun and extremely educational experience surrounded by amazing well cared for wildlife

Insider tip; Our favourites are the Giant Otters and just around the corner from them is a cute little hut that does super yummy Churos haha

Once you’ve taken in the beauty of these laid-back bears there is plenty more to see, 4 prides of lions live here too as well as Lemur, Giraffe, Amur Leopards, Tigers and plenty more.

Online Adult tickets are £20 and you’ll find several eateries and rest stops planted across the grounds so no need for a picnic. YWP is also supporting plastic free campaigns and is in the process of removing all single-use plastic from their canteens and shops. Have a refillable bottle? I’m sure they’d be more than happy to fill it for you!

Chester Zoo

Is Chester Zoo ethical? Yes, would be the short answer! Chester zoo’s main aim as an ethical zoo is to educate. Here they offer huge discounts for schools, as well as workshops to help start the learning early. On top of this, they also run global charities supporting animals in Africa, Asia and even in Latin America to name a few. Their latest campaign is for sustainable palm oil, they’re inviting their visitors to take part in their palm oil challenge and help save the animals who are vulnerable and affected by the palm oil trade.

With over 500 animals to admire you really do need a full day to fully explore the vast habitats that it has to offer. Our highlights though were the Andean Bears, the North African Cheetah and the Giant Otters. They are undergoing some major improvements/extensions to habitats at the moment so to avoid disappointment please visit their website!

Adult online tickets here are £3o including a donation, but considering the size of the place, and the huge effort they put into helping animals across the world – the high price is definitely worth it.

Tips for a perfect day at the zoo

Tickets to the ethical zoos and conservation zoos in England can get pricey, especially for big families. Save those pennies by packing a picnic. All zoo’s listed here have amazing facilities for both eating with them and eating your own food, so make the most of it!

If you’re a regular visitor to any of these zoos on our list of ethical zoos, you can save money by becoming a member or purchasing year tickets. These can give you huge discounts on entry to some of the best zoos for animal welfare… what’s not to love?

Get there early and check out the timetable. If you get there early enough, you’ll be able to catch the early bird displays. Whether it’s feeding times with the tigers or an educational talk with the giraffes, getting there early means you’ll get front row seats and aren’t they the best?

Grab a map. Some of these ethical zoos in the UK are pretty big and growing each year. Grab a map and make a list of who you absolutely can’t miss. This will avoid disappointment later in the day if you don’t manage to get around it all in time (again, arriving early will lessen the chances of that happening!)

Reusable water bottle – Almost every English zoo is getting on board with a campaign to remove single-use plastic. By taking your own reusable water bottle you’ll be supporting this and it’s cheaper for you too. Right now you can ask for refills at cafes but don’t be surprised if you start seeing more water stations around tourist attractions like these in the very near future!

While the illegal animal trade and poaching still continue to exist, so will these charities and organisations. We need to do our best to educate not only ourselves but the next generation so that we don’t continue to support the wrong places and ultimately fund the bad guys. I’m really proud of the work our English zoos are doing for animals all over the world so if you ever visit one of these places, I hope you enjoy and appreciate them as much as we do.

Have you been to any of these ethical zoos in England? Which one’s your favourite? Maybe it’s because we grew up nearby, but we love a visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park so if you’re ever in the area do your self a favour and go! What conservation zoos and groups do you have near you? Are your local zoos just as amazing when it comes to animal welfare? We’d love to hear about them!