Dudley Zoo & Castle — Zoo in Dudley

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Dudley Zoo & Castle and its collection

Dudley Zoo & Castle, opened in 1937, is a zoo in Dudley, United Kingdom.

The zoo is now run by the Dudley and West Midlands Zoological Society, a charity set up in 1978.

History

William Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley, who owned the castle, resolved in the 1930s to put a zoo in its grounds. It was constructed between 1935 and 1937 with the London Zoo superintendent Geoffrey Vevers advising and Ove Arup handling the engineering, while Berthold Lubetkin and the Tecton Group supplied twelve modernist enclosures and further buildings. It opened to visitors on 18 May 1937, went into receivership in 1977 and was then bought by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

Animals and collection

A gorilla, Bonzo, lived there from 1962 until his death in 1994, and a bust of him was put up in 2016. In 2003 the two female African elephants were sent elsewhere for roomier quarters.

Exhibits

Its exhibits include Lemur Wood, Lorikeet Lookout, Reptile House, Castle Creatures and Farm Barn.

Things to do

Things to do include land train, Chair Lift, Face Painting, Fun Fair and Keeper Experience.

What the venue says

land train
Chair Lift
Face Painting
Fun Fair
Keeper Experience
Bring a picnic or dine in our licensed restaurant.
The car park is barrier operated and costs £4.00 per token to exit.
The nature of our historic site means that in parts the paths are steep and in some areas there are steps.
Free blue badge parking is available on our main car park (Sat Nav DY1 4AL) and drop off points are located opposite the main visitor entrance.
We offer a non-profit service for the hire of Manual wheelchairs and Electric scooters, which are available to hire from the main entrance
There is a luggage compartment at the rear of the train which holds portable wheelchairs and users that are able to walk short distances are able to use this facility.
We’re pleased to be able to provide a Changing Places Toilet facility on-site for visitors with complex care needs.