Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is a wildlife park in Upton-by-Chester, England, with enclosures for many animal species from around the world. The site includes covered animal houses, tropical halls, and play areas for children, all spread across wide paths and garden sections.

George Mottershead founded the park in 1931 and designed the grounds around a manor house, using ditches and water features instead of bars from the start. The site grew over the decades, adding new animal enclosures and landscape sections.

The park takes its name from the nearby city and runs breeding programs that visitors can follow through information panels and keeper talks. Throughout the grounds, daily feeding sessions and encounters allow staff to explain the animals and their behavior.

The park opens daily except on Christmas and entry stops one hour before closing. Wide paved paths and a monorail system make moving around the large site easier.

A raised treetop walkway runs through woodland and offers views of animals and landscape from an unusual height. In the tropical glasshouse called Islands, visitors walk among free-roaming birds and monkeys with no glass or barriers in between.

Location: Upton-by-Chester

Inception: 1931

Founders: George Mottershead

Phone: +441244380280

Website: https://chesterzoo.org

GPS coordinates: 53.22667,-2.88417

Latest update: December 15, 2025 09:28