With its own theatre, ballet, and opera house, Leeds is an English city that comes with a full entertainment package for residents and tourists. It has art galleries, museums, shopping centers, bars, and live music experiences both in the city center and along the Aire riverside. It also has some of the best zoos in the U.K.
Especially when you are visiting with your family and kids, it is good to know about which is the most famous zoo in Leeds beforehand. That is why, if you’re looking for some of the best wildlife experiences in Leeds, then we have got you! Scroll down below to find out more about the top 3 famous zoos in Leeds.
3 Famous Zoos in Leeds
1. Tropical World
Location: Princes Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds, LS8 2ER
Tropical World is one of the best zoos in Leeds, housed in Roundhay Park. It has a large animal exhibit with around 120 species of exotic animals.
The free parking is just a short walk from the main entrance to Tropical World. Disabled parking is available right outside the zoo’s main entrance on Princes Avenue.
1.1. Main Attractions
If you are someone who loves animals, then the tropical world is a must-visit destination. The zoo is beautifully designed and well-planned, keeping all the animals separately in a sorted format according to their respective types and habitats. The best part is there is a carefully crafted path through the zoo with all the directions clearly mentioned so that you do not miss a single section.
1.1.1. Butterfly House
The butterfly house is the Tropical World’s most popular attraction. As the name suggests, you can see a beautiful range of colourful and attractive free-flying butterflies here.
Even owl butterflies, caterpillars, and several other butterfly species can be seen at feeding stations. Crocodiles can also be seen in the swamp-themed ponds within this section.
1.1.2. Aquarium
The second zoo house, this Aztec-themed aquarium, features freshwater and marine species – octopus, clownfish, catfish, piranha, seahorse, stingray, and poison-dart frogs, among others.
1.1.3. Waterfall House
This is the bottom section of the two-level rainforest-themed house. It has a tumbling waterfall, arrowhead plants with large leaves, red-crested turacos, tropical fish, leafcutter ants, birds, and butterfly pupae.
1.1.4. Rainforest Canopy
This is the upper section of the rainforest-themed house with a large reptile display. You can find a wide variety of reptiles here – iguanas, snakes, lizards, etc. Even tropical monkeys like the Pygmy Marmoset can be observed here.
1.1.5. Creature Corner
This deliberately warm and humid section features a wide variety of snakes, monitor lizards, frogs, and other slithering invertebrates.
1.1.6. Desert House
This section features the desert flora and fauna – Meerkats, Scorpions, desert iguanas, rattlesnakes, sand cats, tarantulas, tortoises, and different types of Cacti.
1.1.7. Creature Cavern
This section is the nocturnal house with a dark enclosure for the creepy crawlies. It houses a variety of nasty and clawed nocturnal creatures, e.g., the Mexican beaded Lizard, Lesser Madagascar Tenrec, Asian Forest Scorpion, armadillos, bats, etc.
1.2. Gift Shop
The Tropical World Gift Shop has all kinds of souvenirs to help you keep your memories alive. You’ll find gifts in every size and budget, from cuddly toys, t-shirts, pens, notebooks, keychains, fridge magnets, postcards, and pottery.
1.3. Tropical World Cafe
Any outing and sightseeing is incomplete without good food. Whether it is the kids or the adults, everybody craves something special after a long and tiring day of meeting and exploring different animal varieties. That is where the Tropical World Cafe comes to your rescue.
The menu includes a variety of:
- Cold sandwiches
- Hot paninis
- Croissants
- Danish pastries
- Bagels
- Salads
- Jacket potatoes
- Burgers
- Chips
- Hot soups… and many more delicious treats.
There are plenty of tasty options in cakes and bakes, too, and if you are someone with a sweet tooth, then you must give them a try. In fact, for all the health freaks out there, the cafe also has vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian items.
The cafe has special breakfast, lunch, and snack boxes with juice for their young visitors on education trips.
On weekends and bank holidays, the cafe offers its special stone-baked pizzas with a great variety of fresh toppings. You can also order ice creams and cold drinks here.
This open-air space and menu are only open to visitors on good weather days. Outside food and drinks are not allowed here.
1.4. Educational Visits
These self-guided tours aim to educate young visitors about how the animals are adapted to their habitats and the threats that affect their populations worldwide.
To book these trips, schools must email the Leeds Zoo Education Team with their preferred date(s).
The team will usually respond within 48 hours with booking instructions and/or alternative date options (if the preferred dates are unavailable).
Admission prices are nil for Leeds Authority Schools, but non-Leeds Authority Schools must pay a fee.
2. Lotherton Wildlife World
Location: Lotherton Lane, Aberford, Leeds LS25 3EB
Another famous zoo in Leeds is the Wildlife World at Lotherton’s, an Edwardian country estate.
The Wildlife World Zoo in Leeds is most famous for its unique bird population, especially the Humboldt Penguins and Chilean Flamingos.
Lotherton’s Estate also houses beautiful old gardens, a mid-20th century Edwardian hall museum, playgrounds, formal gardens, and adventure trails with winding walks and paths.
2.1. Coastal Zone
2.1.1. Humboldt Penguins
There are about 17 Humboldt Penguins at the Wildlife World, which can be found splashing, waddling, and diving in their special pool.
Natives of South America, these birds prefer sandy beaches and rocky coastlines. They have been endangered as their nesting material, Guano, is exploited by humans to make fertilizers.
Climate change and excessive fishing are other reasons that have affected the penguins’ food supply chain.
2.1.2. Chilean Flamingos
About 33 large Chilean Flamingos occupy the 7-metre-high enclosure at Wildlife World, Leeds. These birds have a heated pool for cold days. They are also nearly endangered, with only about 200,000 of these birds in the wild.
Habitat loss, degradation, and disruptive harvesting practices by man are the main reasons for their declining population.
2.2. Forest Zone
2.2.1. Tapir
Tapirs are large, herbivorous mammals that look like pigs with long trunk noses. They are also natives of South & Central America and Southeast Asia.
2.2.2. Cotton-Top Tamarin
With only about 6,000 Cotton-top Tamarins believed to be left in the wild, only a couple of them are found in zoos, including Wildlife World. These tiny New World monkeys are critically endangered due to human disruption of their natural habitat.
2.2.3. Capybara
Capybaras are giant rodents that are native to South America, like some of the other species at the Lotherton Zoo, Leeds. They are friendly, docile, and social creatures and enjoy living in dense forests and alongside water bodies.
2.2.4. Goeldi’s Monkey
Another native of the South American Amazonian rainforest, the Goeldi’s Marmoset (or Monkey), is a small New World ‘vulnerable’ species of monkey. They are usually found playfully hanging from fruit trees during the daytime.
2.3. Wildlife World Shop
The gift shop at Wildlife World has a wide range of indoor and outdoor toys, gifts, souvenirs, books, stationery, etc. Ice creams and cold drinks are also available here.
2.4. The Stables Cafe
The cafe is a great place to relax after a walk around the zoo. They offer both hot and cold food and drinks, including a variety of sandwiches and cakes.
Their ‘Specials’ menu refreshes regularly and offers ice creams during the summer. There are picnic benches, open spaces, and grassy lawns nearby, ideal for a great picnic with friends and family.
You can enjoy visits throughout the year at the wildlife park, the historic hall and museum, or their beautiful grounds and gardens. They also have an annual membership on offer at a very reasonable rate for individuals and families.
3. Harewood House
Location: Harewood House Trust, Harewood House, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LG
Official Website: Harewood
Harewood House was built in the 18th century and has some of Britain’s finest art collections.
Visitors can spend some leisure time looking through the live art exhibitions, farm visits, and hundreds of acres of beautiful old gardens and well-preserved grounds.
There are multiple public transport options to take you to Harewood, including ample free parking and disabled parking. There are also accommodation options for visitors around Harewood House.
3.1. Farm Experience
The Farm at Harewood House has a beautiful collection of farm animals, including pigs, pygmy goats, giant rabbits, alpacas, and more.
Young visitors can spend face-to-face time with the amazing animals and even talk to the keepers to learn more about them and their habits.
3.2. Bird Garden
Visitors can find exotic birds, parrots, owls, penguins, flamingos and many other woodland creatures in the green spaces of the bird garden at Harewood.
3.3. Gift Shop & Cafe
Harewood also has a well-stocked gift shop with specially curated souvenirs and a café serving some great afternoon tea, sweet treats, and savoury snacks.
In the End
So, whether you are a resident or just visiting Leeds, remember, it has something for everyone – a vibrant community, beautiful Victorian & Edwardian architecture, exciting year-round events and carnivals, and a world-class culture that is hard to miss!
Last Updated on July 8, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty
