Zoos with tigers

[AuntMarch]

My son loves Big cats, but especially tigers.
Where is best in the UK to see them? Bonus points if its easily accessed by public transport (considering a few days away so where is not necessarily a big deal).

Doncaster

The Colchester Zoo tiger enclosure is really good. They have lots of bamboo to walk around and hide in, but you walk over the top and get to see them amazingly close.

Not a zoo, but West Midlands Safari Park - bonus of having white tigers too.

(You can book on to their vehicles to go round the drive, although not sure it is that accessible to get to the park by public transport).

Colchester zoo is great for actually seeing tigers - we’ve seen them up close every time we’ve been.

London Zoo tiger looked wretchedly unhappy last time we went

Paradise wildlife park is the best for being able to see them! They have 2 and a lovely enclosure you can see at different heights and different angles including a walkway that has a glass screen where you can see into the water area of their enclosure that they swim in.

Whipsnade I think only have 1 at the moment (could be wrong) and the best I saw was a glimpse of it from afar through the trees recently. There's lots of places for them to be out of sight.

Another vote for Colchester, also have lions and leopards.

Good bus route from the town too 😁

South Lakes Safari Park has Sumatran tigers and other big cats. I got a very good view of them last week. It’s a bit off the beaten track though - near Ulverston.

Thanks all, I'll look into all these options.

Doncaster had tigers, lions and leopards. The polar bears shouldn't have been placed in captivity but they were and have moved to Doncaster to prevent inbreeding. They most definitely play, bit like dogs, with plastic drums and in the water.

Longleat, definitely. You drive through the fields/enclosed areas where the big cats are kept which is better than the cages in a lot of more traditional zoos.

And yet another vote for Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Best advice is to go lunchtime or early afternoon and see the big cats just befor closing time as that is when they get fed and you have a better chance of seeing them. The big cats have loads of space, as do all of the animals.

I like chessington but I've only seen the tigers briefly once in numerous times I've gone and always see about 2 of the animals you're suggested you might see on the safari ride

Tbh I think you have to go to crueller zoos to be certain to see a particular animal you hope to. I'd go somewhere with a "might see a tiger" attitude than definitely will. Crueller zoos = smaller less natural habitats for the animals

Port Lympne - not been for several years but the tiger enclosure was always my favourite bit!

I'd like to think that all zoos put animal welfare first and foremost @dancinginthesky. YWP is so huge now that last time I went I walked over four miles as the enclosures are so large.

They often rescue animals from places where they aren't treated very well, and provide the best living conditions they can within a zoo environment.

Twycross zoo... not accessible by public transport I do tbthink, but tigers are relatively new - all up to date care. (Plus there's a whole load of primates to entertain you all too!)

I think West Midlands Safari Park has tigers. You drive around in a large enclosure but the lions and tigers are in their own enclosure but you can drive up close. There are other animals to.

Dorimon · 13/06/2023 21:25
Highland Wildlife Park is by far the best. They also have Snow Leopards. But not the best for public transport.”

Second this, it’s fantastic. Also have amongst many things a brilliant Scottish wildcat enclosure, wolverines and two male polar bears living harmoniously together, astonishing!

Im shocked by how many tigers there are in UK zoos. I had no idea.

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight (if you can get to the IOW you can get there easily on public transport). Its much smaller than most zoos and you can see the tigers really well, they have interesting talks as they feed them. They rescue them from circuses etc.

Blackpool zoo has a tiger and a new habitat for her and the lions.
it’s much smaller than Chester but easily accessible on public transport and plenty of places to stay nearby and other things to do to be entertained while in Blackpool.

Blair Drummond safari park is good can't remember the tigers but you can drive through in the car and see the lions very close up!

Longleat has lots of big cats. Definitely worth a visit.

Bus from Aviemore takes about 20 mins.

Chester zoo. Funnily enough going back there next month its my fav