South Lakes Wild Animal Park Anmeldelser 54

Just got back from a fantastic day at south lakes zoo , we had a fantastic day learning about the rhinos and feeding and helping with the mucking out ! We learnt so much about these amazing animals .All the animals seemed very happy all the enclosures were clean and well maintained.The staff were friendly and very knowledgeable and seemed to really care about the welfare of their animals .

I have a lot to say about this place. Some good some bad. I went for the panda experience, it was amazing, the woman was lovely and I really enjoyed it. However as i went around the zoo I seen many distressed animals. I found a zebra in a tiny enclosure, pacing. Very clearly distressed, very disappointed with the place to be quite honest. The tortoises were in a very small enclosure, bear in mind these were large tortoises, I didn’t see them move once. Probably about 6-7 of them huddled in a corner. Went back a few hours later and they were still in the same place. Many of the animals were pacing, including a leopard. The rhinos were not in a suitable space. However I will note a few positive things. The red pandas seemed very happy, in a great enclosure with a clean and safe environment. The parrots were adorable and seemed happy. The prices in the gift shop was outrageous, the keyrings were 8.50 each, we only found that out AFTER purchasing because they had no price anywhere. The soft toys were about 40 quid, considering the zoo was awful I would atleast expect something decent from the gift shop. Overall I am worried about the animals welfare, they were very clearly not happy and it really does need sorting. Considering a lot of the land was empty they had more than enough space to keep them happy, however they didn’t use this land. This place really does need assessing by a professional.

Animal cruelty. This zoo needs ro be closed and the management to be jailed.

Very run down, overgrown enclosure's baby changing units inadequate (cold hard worktops) no edge protection to stop them rolling off, the door wouldn't shut right so toddlers can walk out freely the coffee in the cafe was expensive and vile all the enclosures need and good sorting out everything seems to be rotting away such a shame,

We've been coming here for over 10 years.Missed last year and what a miserable change for this year .Where the penguins used to be there were rats (wild) living with ducks.When I asked about where the penguins had gone "we don't have them now "was the reply from a member of staff as she hurried past.Wolves have gone ,no birds of prey ,no exotic birds -the zoo is half empty .And the half that is used the animals are as miserable as the staff .We went on a £2 ticket but wasn't even worth that .We spent 45 minutes and came out .Am more disappointed that I actually went in .It's run down,dirty,signage is all faded (just like the rest of the zoo ) and the animals are not well cared for.WHAT WENT WRONG!!!! Time to close it down and let the animals go on to better places .And its such a shame because they used to do so much conservation work.Feel sorry for anyone that paid more than £2 a ticket .Close it down !!!
Wis

Took my girls today, I've been to the zoo before and it needed abit of help then.
I was so sad to see the state of the Zoo now.
It was sooo run down. Overgrown with weeds and most of the enclosures are now empty. The animals looked so sad and bored it broke my heart.

Heart breaking to see had bad this zoo has become.
Please please swallow your pride and allow yorkshire wildlife or any other zoo to take over.
Run to the ground.
Do it for the few animals you have left.
Not a shadow of what it used to be.

Really sad to see the zoo in this state ..visiting over 10years now The zoo really needs some intervention! The place is run down, abandoned enclosures, more no entry signs than readable posters , lots of missing animals , ones which are left looked distressed and sad, (more animals leaving in coming months) enclosures were dirty and in need of attention ,paths and walk ways overgrown,the play park is closed off unabke to play on ,missing seats on zip lines.. and don't even get me started on the once amazing food venue at the back ..rotten dirty backstreet chippy counter is all that stands ..not even a salt shaker dirty labelled pop bottle! Ceilings are collapsing also! Food was vile! What has happened to this zoo !!! We've came to xmas dinners with santa , halloween parties , yearly visits ! The place looks like it's about to close ! Don't be fooled by the cheap tickets , they are trying to get the bodies in , without this , safari zoo will be closed soon unless something drastic is done..
Once past the beautiful entrance and shop , it's sad and depressing give it an hour and after initial excitement of being able to see stunning animals up close this zoo isn't patch on what it once was , we loved this place , will not be returning let them close and let them animals live a better life elsewhere !

I had visited this zoo previous to our recent visit and could not believe the difference. Past experience was fantastic, however this time i came away feeling disapointed and a little sad if im honest. A brilliant place has been left to run down, everywhere seemed overgrown with weeds. A lot of the animals were gone or not to be seen ( i know this is the nature of some animals) the overgrowth didnt help.
Then we get on to food. No picnics allowed but there are a lot of kiosks selling the usual ice cream and snacks and i remembered there was a resturant. The resturant is now a chippy. The menu basically fish, sausage,burger and of course chips. Not much choice for children especially the picky chicken nugget eaters. Food was vile and if that wasnt enough to put me off the place didnt look the cleanest there were flys all over the uncooked and uncovered chips on the bench behind the fryer staff were obviously rushed off their feet and the queue was out the door. If i were you id opt for the pre packed sandwiches but at £4.50 each this could be an expensive choice.
The sun shone and it wasnt excessively busy walking around the zoo but its definetly not what it once was and not worth the 2.5 hr drive.

Booked some experiences in August for my daughter after seeing a previous HUKD offer... Then saw this last week on BBC News - Zoo inspection finds 'major causes for concern (17 July) so then I googled the recent Born Free Foundation report into the zoo. Oh dear! Wish I'd done my research before being swayed by cheap ticket deals!

I contacted them immediately asking fairly for a refund given legitimate child safety and animal welfare concerns... have had ZERO response!

Every single email I have sent over the past few days to various addresses on their website has been completely ignored, and no one EVER answers the phone it just rings and rings or appears disconnected.

Seems like there is no customer service or care.

Have had to raise a complaint with my bank now to try and get my money back. AVOID!

Having seen some of the reviews here and elsewhere I had doubts about making the trip but very glad I ignored the 1 star reviews and gave this place a chance. Has it seen better days? Of course, but where hasn't these days. Negatives first, parts of it were indeed closed off (a couple of the walk through enclosures that were mainly birds I think), presumably as it costs for staff to supervise the area and for additional maintenance etc. Parts of it were a little steep/hilly which I guess could make accessibility an issue.
Other than that I genuinely do not know what so many people are complaining about. The animals absolutely did not look sad, depressed or poorly cared for. There was a good selection of animals and I think in terms of actually being able to see them up close, this has to be one of the best places I have visited. Was able to see up close Jaguars, Lynx and Tigers being fed; Lions closer than I have ever seen etc. Some of the comments in other reviews are, based on my experience, really unfair. Give the place a chance and go with an open mind.

Probably the best zoo we’ve been to in the UK. Huge variety of animals and almost all can be really close encounters. Feeding experiences are brilliant and staff really friendly. 4 stars not 5 as I felt most animals had ample space but did feel bad for the jaguars who just kept pacing looking frustrated and a bear in a small looking area inside a cafe.

Wow! What a completely AMAZING day! The zoo has such a lovely friendly feeling all the staff are wonderful and helpful. We had a couple of animal encounters one with Andrew and one with Kim. They were both completely phenomenal! Knowledgeable and friendly, they took their time to talk to us and make us feel relaxed. My daughter absolutely loved it! Such an amazing experience for her and us all! Just AMAZING! Highly recommend!

Really disappointed. Was nowhere near as good as previous visits, seems to be very neglected in many areas. Lots of areas were closed. Not worth the £77+ that we paid for 3 of us.

Visited 11/05/24,we had promotional tickets,I can't fault the place,the park is clean,staff helpful,the animal enclosures are spacious,you can get close to the animals definitely recommend.

We visited SLS almost ten years ago to the day! Ever since that day I had recommended it to everyone I knew, with the most recent visiting only the summer before today. How embarrassed I am. The zoo is in serious need of intervention. It doesn’t take a genius to recognise that the animals are not healthy in body or mind. Enclosures are bare or extremely dirty and this reflects the areas for humans to eat too! SLS was slick, a place to learn and feel grateful for the work some zoos do to help endangered species. It is not anymore. Although we’d only paid £2 each I left wishing I’d paid more to help this place.

It really pains me to do this review. As an animal lover I wouldn't want any animal to suffer, however the animals here need to be rehomed as this is a failing zoo.
Don't pay the full online price £13 it's not worth it and its a scam. Most people are only paying £2 which is about right.
Oh and don't ask Paula the manager for a refund as she is one of the most hard faced arrogant people you'll ever meet.
Our Grandson went for his 10th birthday and it was basically ruined by this woman.

Went on Sunday 14th April 2024. Omg, I have never seen such sad animals. The giraffes were in a small bit of land with no trees, just one sad looking branch near the doors. They were just pacing up and down. They are obviously not kept in their natural habitat, along with alot of the other animals. There were 2 brown bears that looked under weight and not cared for and REALLY sad. The place wasn't looked after at all. There's no way I'd pay the normal price of £25 to get in, cos it's definitely not worth it, I came away feeling sorry for the animals and upset by their conditions. I think its cruel caging animals up when they should be able to live in their natural habitats. I think the animals should be sent back to their countries of origin to live in the wild. So so cruel 😥

Left the zoo feeling heartbroken with children that couldn’t bare to stay there any longer and were asking to leave after 20 minutes the animals looks depressed, under fed and under stimulated, rarely was there a keeper seen around the grounds! Watching baby primates sit and play with litter that was in abundance in their outdoor pen really hit a nerve! The pens didn’t look like they’d been cleaned in months and why they had access to old dirty bits of rubbish doesn’t bare thinking about! The whole place is falling to pieces and it gives a very somber vibe! The staff, management and owners should all be highly disappointed in themselves for the treatment of these animals! They are constantly fundraising but I struggle to see where the money is going and how they can call themselves conservationists I don’t know! The park used to be beautiful it’s now a disaster that shows the staff couldn’t care less about the animals, park or visitors they need shutting down immediately and those poor animals moving somewhere they can be cared for properly

Visited this Zoo on a very cold and wet day. With the problems such places have had over the last few years what with Covid and the cost of living crisis and less disposable income etc it was great to see a full car park. I had travelled from North Wales having purchased a feeding experience offer that was available and for the price I simply cannot complain. Got to see all of the animals and with time to spare before the Zoo closed. Admittedly the food facilities where limited and with lenghty queues ,I didn't manage to eat at the zoo. This was also due to the 4 feeding experiences I had booked and the time slots allocated to do them all. It was simply from one experience to the next with no time long enough in-between to queue ,buy and eat food. These places are not cheap to run and rely heavily on not only paying visitors but food ,merchandise and feeding experiences to survive. I felt that they certainly missed out on food sales on the day because others were in the same situation. As member of Chester Zoo and seeing how this Zoo struggled to survive during covid with no financial help given, I can't begin to imagine how places like this survived. The giraffe feeding experience was clearly very popular and I had to queue a while for this but the Zoo isn't a big Zoo in comparison to most and still managed to get to see everything with a little time to spare at the end. I understand how some people could get frustrated with such queues but where else can you get to feed a Giraffe and for such a low price. I know this is considerably more in other Zoos. So you have to weigh this up. Higher price for fewer people or lower price for more people to feed such an animal. I go with the latter. I have read comments about this place being run down and animals don't look healthy. Yes the Zoo needs some investment in modernising and certain buildings need some TLC but this costs . With the winter prices they charge ,I would guess this simply covers keeping the Zoo ticking over until the better weather so little would be available to do improvements. If in anyway I believed the animals didn't look healthy or looked unhappy and not looked after ,I would be the first to kick off and pursue this with the relevant authorities. Hand on heart the animals looked healthy, contented and with the bad weather I couldn't believe how active they all were. I did only see one meerkat when I got to the enclosure and will raise this with the Zoo who I am sure will give me an suitable answer. I was impressed to see the rhino mixed with the Zebras and in the kangaroo enclosure other different animals mixed in together. In my opinion all Zoos need bigger enclosures for all animals but this is not always possible but I believe the space allocated to the animals I saw was OK. Like all such places they will never be good enough when you think of the space these animals have In the wild. Sadly it is what's happening to such animals in the wild that we see the need for Zoos across the world in order to keep their species alive. I will be back thats for sure