Paignton Zoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paignton Zoo

Date opened	1923
Location	Paignton, Devon, England
Land area	80 acres (32 ha)
Coordinates	50°25′44″N 3°35′4″W / 50.42889°N 3.58444°W / 50.42889; -3.58444
No. of animals	Over 2,000
No. of species	Over 250
Major exhibits	Reptile Tropics, Crocodile Swamp, Ape Centre, Lemur Wood, Monkey Heights

Paignton Zoo is a famous zoo located in Paignton, Devon, England. It started as a private collection of animals owned by Herbert Whitley. He was a big fan of collecting and breeding animals.

The zoo first opened to the public in 1923. It was called Primley Zoological Gardens back then. During World War II, many animals from Chessington Zoo came to stay here. At that time, the zoo was known as Devon's Zoo and Circus.

Today, Paignton Zoo is run by a special group called the Wild Planet Trust. This trust helps protect wildlife. The zoo is home to about 2,000 animals from almost 300 different species. It also grows over 1,600 types of plants.

History of Paignton Zoo

How the Zoo Started

Herbert Whitley loved animals from a young age. His mother gave him two canaries, and his passion grew from there. He inherited money from his family. Herbert moved to Devon with his family and started a business with his brother, William. They bought farmland and began breeding animals.

Herbert kept many animals at his home, Primley House. He was especially interested in breeding blue animals. He filled the buildings on his estate with all sorts of creatures. He even had exotic animals like a chimpanzee named Bonny Mary. She was famous for being very clever.

First Public Opening

In July 1923, Herbert decided to open his animal collection to everyone. He called it Primley Zoological Gardens. People could visit for a small fee. Adults paid one shilling and children paid sixpence. Visitors could see bears, monkeys, zebras, and many types of birds.

Soon after opening, officials said Herbert needed to charge an 'amusement tax'. Herbert disagreed, saying his zoo was for education, not just fun. He lost a court case about this. Because of the disagreement, Herbert closed the zoo to the public. He put up signs explaining why.

Second Opening and Closure

In 1927, Herbert agreed to reopen the zoo and pay the tax. The zoo continued to welcome visitors. In 1934, a new "Tropical House" opened. Visitors had to pay extra to enter it. This again caused a disagreement about the tax. Herbert refused to pay the extra tax and lost in court again. He closed the zoo for a second time in protest.

Animals from Chessington

Even when the zoo was closed, Herbert kept collecting and breeding animals. When World War II started, Chessington Zoo needed a safe place for their animals. Herbert agreed to help. So, many animals, including lions and tigers, came to Paignton. A miniature railway and even a circus with clowns also moved there!

During the war, the zoo was run as Devon's Zoo and Circus. It focused more on entertainment. After the war in 1946, most animals returned to Chessington. The circus stayed until 1953, and the miniature railway ran until 2022. After the war, the zoo became Paignton Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

Becoming a Trust

When Herbert Whitley passed away in 1955, a special group was formed. It was called the Herbert Whitley Trust. This trust was created to continue his important work. It was later renamed the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust. In 2019, it became the Wild Planet Trust. This trust also runs Newquay Zoo.

Growing as a Trust

The zoo grew a lot under the trust's care. In 1961, the zoo hired its first full-time education officer. This person helped teach visitors about animals. More and more people visited the zoo each year.

The trust brought in more exotic animals. Giraffes arrived in 1968, and baboons in 1976. The zoo also built new places for visitors, like a main restaurant. In 1993, the first orangutans came from London Zoo.

In the mid-1990s, the zoo received a large amount of money. This helped them build new and better facilities. These included the Marie Le Fevre ape centre and the Reptile Tropics attraction.

Paignton Zoo in the 21st Century

Giant gorilla statues were part of a charity project in 2013.

In 2003, the trust expanded even more. They bought Newquay Zoo and built Living Coasts in Torquay.

The zoo has also hosted fun projects for charity. In 2013, the Great Gorilla Project placed life-sized gorilla statues around Devon. This raised £100,000 for conservation. In 2016, the Great Big Rhino Project raised £123,000.

In 2019, Duchess, the zoo's only African Elephant, passed away. In 2022, the miniature railway, which had been at the zoo since the Chessington evacuation, closed down.

Animals at Paignton Zoo

Paignton Zoo is home to about 2,000 animals. These animals represent over 400 different species. You can see mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. They live in many different exhibits designed to look like their natural homes.

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Incidents and Escapes

Over the years, Paignton Zoo has had a few animal escapes and incidents.

In January 1939, a leopard got out of its home. It had hurt its keeper, John Hockings. The leopard stayed on zoo grounds. It killed some rare St Kilda sheep. Because of the danger, the leopard had to be stopped.

In May 1946, a grass monkey went missing. It was during the time animals were returning to Chessington Zoo. After a search, the monkey came back to its cage on its own.

The same keeper, John Hockings, was hurt by a North American brown bear in 1948. This happened when he was cleaning its enclosure.

A large black-necked stork escaped in August 1954. It flew far away, living in marshy areas for about two weeks. It was eventually brought back to the zoo.

In June 1956, four boa constrictors got out of their reptile house. They were found nearby and safely returned.

In December 1959, some intruders cut wires. This caused four wallabies to escape. Three were quickly found. One wallaby named Sue stayed free for over two weeks! More wallabies escaped in 1964.

A loud noise in 1961 caused a zebra to escape into nearby woods. A tapir also got out but was found quickly on zoo grounds.

The biggest escape happened in January 1964. An Indian elephant named Jumbo got out and was free for over six hours. She stayed on zoo grounds. People nearby were told to stay indoors for safety.

Visitors were once kept inside buildings when a peccary (a type of wild pig) escaped into public areas. It was safely recaptured. Three years later, in April 2008, two peccaries escaped into the giraffe enclosure.

In September 2016, a lechwe antelope jumped out of its home. This happened after it fought with another male. The zoo decided to put the animal down. It could not be safely returned or moved to another zoo.

Three western lowland gorillas escaped into a secure hallway in July 2017. They stayed there overnight. During that time, they caused damage to water pipes and electrical wires.

In September 2022, the zoo had to close because of bird flu. On the first day it reopened, two lar gibbons escaped. They were recaptured, but the zoo's opening was delayed.

In August 2023, visitors were again kept inside buildings. This happened when a monkey escaped its enclosure.

Conservation Efforts

Paignton 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). They also belong to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

The zoo works with other zoos and gardens. They manage breeding programs for endangered animals. They also work on plant conservation. This helps protect species that are at risk.

Education and Research

The zoo has a large education team. They teach about 50,000 students each year. These students range from young children to older teens. They also teach adult groups.

The Education Department started in 1961. The zoo's science department began in 1997. It is now called the Field Conservation and Research Department. This department is well-known in Europe. Its staff work on projects at the zoo and other sites. They also do research overseas.

Botanical Gardens

A Titan Arum flower blooming at Paignton Zoo in 2018.

Paignton Zoo is also a beautiful botanical garden. It has many hardy trees, shrubs, and plants. These are arranged by the type of habitat they come from.

The zoo has indoor growing areas. This allows them to grow plants from all over the world. You can see tiny, endangered cactus plants in the desert house. You can also see huge plants like the Titan arum, giant bamboo, and giant water lilies in the tropical houses.

Awards and Recognition

Paignton Zoo has received several awards. In 2014, visitors on TripAdvisor named it the third best zoo in the UK. It was also ranked the ninth best zoo in Europe.

In 2015, The Independent newspaper listed Paignton as one of the top 10 zoos in the UK. The Camping and Caravanning Club also named it one of the UK's 'best and biggest' zoos.

Television Appearances

Paignton Zoo has been featured on television shows.

In 1998, the BBC One show Zoo Keepers followed the zoo for two series.

ITV Westcountry filmed a documentary called Zoo Story at Paignton Zoo in 2004. A book based on the series was also published in 2005.

In 2017, the children's channel CBBC created The Zoo. This was a comedy show filmed at Paignton Zoo. It showed things from the animals' point of view.