Belfast Zoo facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Belfast Zoo

Date opened	28 March 1934
Location	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Land area	55 acres (22 ha)
Coordinates	54°39′22″N 5°56′31″W / 54.656°N 5.942°W / 54.656; -5.942
No. of animals	1200+
No. of species	120+
Annual visitors	300,000
Memberships	BIAZA, EAZA, WAZA
Website	www.belfastzoo.co.uk

Belfast Zoological Gardens, also known as Bellevue Zoo, is a popular zoo in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It sits on the side of Cavehill, looking over Belfast's Antrim Road. The zoo opened in 1934. It is the second-oldest zoo in Ireland, after Dublin Zoo.

Belfast Zoo is one of the most visited places in Northern Ireland. Over 300,000 people visit each year. The zoo covers 55-acre (22 ha) and is home to more than 1,200 animals. These animals belong to over 140 different species.

Many animals at Belfast Zoo are endangered in the wild. The zoo works hard to protect them. It takes part in over 90 breeding programs. These programs help save many species that are at risk.

The zoo is a member of important groups. These include the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). It is also part of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

History of Belfast Zoo
How Belfast Zoo is Managed
Animal Collections at the Zoo
Zoo Developments and New Arrivals
Incidents at the Zoo
The Floral Hall
See also

History of Belfast Zoo

The view east from inside Belfast Zoo, showing its location on the slopes of Cavehill

The story of Belfast Zoo began with public transport. In the early 1900s, horse-drawn trams took people from Belfast to nearby villages. Later, Belfast Corporation, now Belfast City Council, took over the tram line.

In 1911, they decided to build a miniature railway. They also added a playground and pleasure gardens. This area was called Bellevue, which means 'good view'.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Bellevue was a popular spot for day trips. In 1933, the council decided to add a collection of animals. So, in 1934, 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land were set aside for Bellevue Zoo. This land was on either side of the Grand Floral Staircase. These steps were built to reach the top of the hillside.

About 150 men helped build the zoo. You can still see the steps from Antrim Road today. Sir Crawford McCullagh, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, opened the zoo on 28 March 1934. George Chapman, an animal dealer, also helped with the project.

Building the zoo cost £10,000. This is like £700,000 today. In its first year, 284,713 people visited the zoo.

How Belfast Zoo is Managed

Belfast City Council owns Belfast Zoo. The council spends over £2.5 million each year to run the zoo. This makes it one of the few zoos in the UK and Ireland funded by local government.

The council's Parks and Leisure Committee oversees the zoo's work. This committee has 20 local councillors.

Animal Collections at the Zoo

The zoo is home to over 120 different species of animals.

Primates at Belfast Zoo

Other Mammals to See

Meerkat, Belfast Zoo

Birds at the Zoo

Reptiles and Amphibians

Beaded lizard
Royal python
Mediterranean tortoise
Red-footed tortoise
Cuban tree boa
Box turtle
Jamaican boa
Madagascar tree boa
Mangrove snake
Pancake tortoise
Turqoise dwarf gecko
Utila iguana
Bearded dragon

Domestic Animals on the Farm

The zoo also has a farm area. Here you can see domestic animals. These include pygmy goats, Shetland ponies, miniature donkeys, rabbits, and Norfolk Grey chickens.

Zoo Developments and New Arrivals

A giraffe in the shared indoor giraffe and elephant house

Belfast Zoo is always changing and growing. They often welcome new animals or celebrate births.

In June 2007, a Barbary lion cub was born. This was the first Barbary lion born in Ireland. The cub, named Lily, moved to Hodonín Zoo in the Czech Republic in 2009. This was part of a special breeding program.

In 2008, the zoo opened a new tropical rainforest exhibit. It is home to animals like two-toed sloths and Rodrigues bats. The Rainforest House is a walk-through area. It has a warm temperature of 27 degrees Celsius.

Recently, the zoo has updated many animal homes. This includes areas for gorillas, chimpanzees, giraffes, and elephants. They even added a raised feeder for giraffes.

In 2009, for its 75th birthday, the zoo opened a new Visitors' Centre. It has high ceilings and lots of natural light. It also shows videos about the zoo's history and Northern Ireland's wildlife.

The zoo received £250,000 to build this new area. The council also gave £300,000 to help with more visitors.

2009 was a very busy year for the zoo. Many new animals arrived, like a Sumatran tiger named Kabus. Also, Kwikila, the only tree-kangaroo in the UK, joined the zoo. That year, the zoo had its highest number of visitors ever, with over 302,000 people. More than 90 baby animals were born in 2009.

In 2010, two smooth-coated otters arrived. Also, coppery titi monkeys and a pair of toco toucans joined the zoo. A female Sumatran tiger also came to live with Kabus.

Since 2009, many babies have been born. These include a Malayan tapir, ring-tailed lemurs, a Grant's zebra, and California sea lions. There have also been black-tailed prairie dogs, piglets, spider monkeys, and red kangaroos.

In 2012, two eastern bongos were born. A blesbok foal, a giraffe foal, and a baby chimpanzee also arrived. In 2013, more babies came, including coppery titi monkeys and another chimpanzee. Twin white-belted ruffed lemurs were also born. Two goodfellow's tree-kangaroos arrived too. Belfast Zoo is one of only 22 zoos in the world to have this type of tree-kangaroo.

Incidents at the Zoo

Sometimes, unexpected things happen at the zoo. In 2001, a dog got into a kangaroo enclosure. One young kangaroo was harmed. In the same year, there was an incident where some penguins were injured in their enclosure.

In 2010, a female white-nosed coati escaped. She was found more than five weeks later.

In 2013 and 2015, some macaques escaped. They were found a few days later.

In 2018, a spider monkey escaped. Sadly, it was hit by a car on a nearby road.

In 2019, a Red Panda escaped because of a power problem. She was found the next day in a neighborhood about a mile away.

The Floral Hall

Inside the zoo grounds is a special building called the Floral Hall. It is an art deco ballroom from the 1930s. This hall was once a very popular place for dancing. During World War II, they put covers on the windows so dances could continue. In the 1960s, famous musicians like Pink Floyd played there.

The Floral Hall closed to the public on 2 April 1972. Since then, it has become run down. In the 1990s, it was given 'Listed Building' status. This means it is an important historical building.

Belfast Buildings Preservation Trust wants to fix up the building. However, Belfast City Council has not yet given money for this.

In 2010, people met to talk about what the hall could be used for. In 2011, a social media account was made to share old photos of the hall. In 2012, an online petition asked Belfast City Council to start the restoration. In March 2018, a company suggested a £5 million plan to bring the hall back to life. They hoped to make it a place for entertainment, conferences, and weddings.