On 3rd March, it’s World Wildlife Day, held to celebrate the world’s plants and animals. This year the theme is ‘big cats- predators under threat. Unless you are lucky enough to live in Africa or Asia, you’ll only see them at safari parks. Much as we’d rather just see big cats in the wild, the parks listed below are all fantastic ambassadors for conservation, and many also have successful breeding programmes. We think anything that gets younger explorers interested in wildlife conservation is a good thing.
If you don’t want to go to a themed place to see wildlife, we’ve also rounded up some of the best places to see UK wildlife in their natural habitat too.
Best places in the southeast to see big cats
Woburn Safari Park
Pretend you are on safari on this drive through experience ‘Kingdom of the Carnivores’ to see loads of species including lions and tigers. Woburn has a long history of wildlife conservation and successful breeding programmes too.
Open daily 10am-5pm
Adults £24.99
Children £17.99 (two and under go free)
Cheaper tickets can be booked online.
Chessington zoo
Go on a trail of the kings at Chessington, to see lions and tigers up close. No conservation credits unfortunately at Chessington.
Open March-November
Tickets from £11.
ZSL Whipsnade zoo
The UK’s biggest zoo, and well worth the pricey entry, Whipsnade is packed full of fun wildlife experiences for families. There’s a special feeding area so visitors can see lions that little bit closer too, if the drive through safari doesn’t satisfy.
Open daily 10-5:30pm
Adults £28
Children £20.35 (three and under go free)
Cheaper tickets can be booked online.
ZSL London zoo
London zoo’s ‘land of the lions’ is a fabulous immersive experience that transports you into the Indian Gir region where Asiatic lions are found. Both London zoo and Whipsnade are pioneers in wildlife conservation.
Open daily 10am-5:30pm
Adults £29.75
Children £22 (three and under go free)
Cheaper tickets can be booked online.
Howletts, Kent
Howletts have leopards and tigers to marvel at in a gimic-free environment. Howletts is a conservation charity which aims to send animals back to the wild.
Open daily 9:30-5pm (6pm in summer).
Adults £20.95
Children £17.95 (three and under go free)
Port Lympne, Kent
Lions, tigers and cheetahs can all be seen on this safari park experience. You can even stay overnight! Port Lympne is from the same family as Howletts, so conservation comes first.
Open daily 9:30-5pm (6pm in summer).
Adults £25
Children £21 (three and under go free)
Wingham Wildlife Park, Kent
Lots of big cats here to view including pumas, cheetahs, jaguars, lions and tigers. Wingham are starting to do a lot more for conservation, but they still are a zoo first and foremost.
Open daily 10am-4pm (6pm in summer).
Adults £18
Children £15 (two and under go free)
Best places in the southeast to see wildlife in the wild
RSPB Dungeness
Miles of what seems like barren flat land is in fact home to hundreds of birds. Fresh water pits, wildflower meadows and wet grasslands provide accommodation for estuary and sea birds like plovers and grebes.
Open daily from 9am-9pm
Free to members
Adults £4
Children £2 (five and under go free)
Knole Park
This National Trust managed 1,000 acre park in Sevenoaks is like a smaller Richmond Park. Catching glimpses of wild deer is highly likely because of its size. There’s plenty of space for families to stretch their legs here, and a lovely cafe to get lunch in afterwards.
Open daily 10am-5pm
Free for National Trust members
Car park entry £4
Richmond Park
It’s one of naturalist David Attenborough’s favourite places in the world, and with good reason. Ancient trees, a range of rare species including fungi, birds, bats and wildflowers and wild deer make this London park a special place for wildlife. Families can relax walking on the off road paths, or take or hire bikes for a faster trip. Cafes and toilets available.
Free entry
Open daily 7:30am-5pm
WWT Wetlands Centre
A fabulous place to spot all sorts of wild birds, but also otters, butterflies, frogs and lizards. Tons of fun stuff for families to do too at this award-winning nature reserve.
Open daily 9:30am-4:30pm (5:30pm in summer)
Adults £14
Children £8.50 (four and under go free)
Greenwich Ecology Peninsula Park
Four acres of freshwater life for families to find many wildlife species such as frogs, newts, stag beetles, butterflies, bats and birds. There are many organised activities here too for families.
Outer boardwalk open daily
Park open Wed-Sun 10am-5pm (dusk in summer)
Free entry
Last but not least, your garden
Make your garden wildlife friendly to fully get the benefit from bug hunts, bird or hedgehog spotting.
