Yorkshire Wildlife Park Yorkshire Wildlife Park News 2025

[Jedd Cullinan]

I believe this has come from Chessington and the plan is to move him onto Whipsnade later next year to breed there also.

Yes it is Gamba from Chessington as Zinabi arrived there from Whipsnade

 

[YWP fan]

I'd say YWP offers a good place for some really good wild birds. As well as the more common Magpies (actually a good spot for Leucistic corvids), and small birds like Robins, Sparrows etc, Wood pigeons, Mutes and Mallards, they have a healthy number of warblers in their reedbeds (which you can see well from the tiger walkway), breeding Greylags and Tufties on the lake near the Sealions and you can find four types of gulls around the Polar Bear enclosure. Also good Kestrel

They might not have any captive birds (which I do really think is a shame) but wildlife has an established home there and you can add a bird to a day out, if you value our native species. Never wallpaper for me.

There are also some Kingfishers around the Park, mainly in the Cheetah enclosure lakes and I saw green woodpeckers last year. There are also various visiting birds of prey if you are lucky.

 

[YWP fan]

The new Ukrainian lion cubs Oleg, Shanti and Rafael are now outside exploring their enclosure. They look settled and relaxed. The other pride on the opposite side of the lake are very interested in them.

 

[Smaggledagle]

On November 18th, it was announced that the zoo would acquire a (1m.0) polar bear named Brodie from Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland temporarily (until ~late 2026).

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

 

[JT]

On November 18th, it was announced that the zoo would acquire a (1m.0) polar bear named Brodie from Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland temporarily (until ~late 2026).

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

With this being temporary, do we think he’ll be kept in project polar 2? This is what happened with Rasputin a few years ago.

 

[Tapir7711]

Hi, does anyone know where the park are up to with the rumoured African forest exhibit? A few years ago there were rumours of gorillas, bongo and I believe Pygmy hippo but nothing has been built since the cheetah territory. Have plans for this area been cancelled due to budget or just delayed?

 

[Prochilodus246]

As far as I aware, the idea has been scrapped due to the sheer cost of it all. The site still has an unfinished hotel so it is unlikely any large developments will be coming in the near future.

 

[DCzootripper]

As I put plans in place for which zoos to visit in 2026, I've been looking into YWP again after it being on my list for future visits for a while. For those who visit regularly, is it a good place?

I haven't been to Chester zoo yet annoyingly but out of the zoos I have visited in the UK it is my favourite

With this being temporary, do we think he’ll be kept in project polar 2? This is what happened with Rasputin a few years ago.

It said in a news article he was going to be housed with his big brother hamish, although they have never met before.