Hertfordshire Zoo — Zoo in Broxbourne

Hertfordshire Zoo and its collection

Hertfordshire Zoo, opened in 1960, is a zoo in Broxbourne, United Kingdom.

More than 800 animals are kept and shown in themed exhibits. It is run by the Zoological Society of Hertfordshire, a registered charity with the number 1108609. The site has featured in the CBBC programme One Zoo Three.

History

It began in the early 1960s under the name Broxbourne Zoo, and by the 1980s campaigners and the press were calling it Britain's worst zoo on welfare grounds. The Sampson family bought it in 1984, at first meaning to turn the land into a coach depot, then closed it for refurbishment and reopened it as Paradise Park and Woodland Zoo, later Paradise Wildlife Park. It took its present name in 2022 to tie itself more closely to the county.

Animals and collection

The collection runs to more than 800 animals, among them red pandas, white lions, African penguins, snow leopards and Amur tigers, along with a green anaconda named Optimus Prime that is presented as the largest in Britain. Breeding of white lions has drawn criticism on grounds of inbreeding and questionable conservation value.

Exhibits

Its exhibits include Big Cat Territory, Large Mammals, Small Mammals, Tropical Rain Forest Zoo and Birds of Paradise Zoo Exhibit.

Things to do

Things to do include Behind The Scenes Tour, Big Cat & Tiger Feeding Experience, Meet Meerkats Experience, Capybara Feeding Experience and Meet Red Panda Experience.

Conservation and approach

The society supports breeding programmes for endangered species, African penguins among them. Its breeding of white lions has drawn criticism over inbreeding and doubtful conservation merit.

What the venue says

• Tumble Jungle
• Boulders Beach
• Feeds & Talks
• Grace’s Coffee, Restaurant Pangea, Sun bear Bakery, Tumble Jungle Food
• no problem for wheelchair or mobility scooter users