Jersey Zoo

This is the best zoo in the world, and nothing will ever come close.

If you are unfamiliar with the life of Gerald Durrell, or any of his literature, this place represents the culmination of his ambitions for wildlife conservation. It places conservation work at the forefront of its reason for existence, which never detracts from the enjoyment a visitor will experience. By focusing resources on conservation areas with a high risk of potential damage to wild populations/habitat, a visitor may see animals they would never have seen before in a regular zoo.

Examples that come to mind would be the ‘Aye-Aye’ and the ‘Mountain Chicken Frog’, species that one would never see elsewhere and add to the overall uniqueness of visiting this zoo, yet they require no less help than any other species, perhaps even more. When you visit, you will see animals you haven’t even heard of, let alone seen in photographs.

Highlights for me include (but are not limited to) the ‘Jewels of the Forest’ and ‘Butterfly Kaleidoscope’ (where you step into their habitat with the animals, as opposed to observing them behind glass), the Tamarin Woods (named so because they swing right past you as you walk around the zoo!), and the Aye-ayes (make sure you stay to adjust your eyes to the dark).

There are also multiple keeper led activities throughout the day you can attend, usually based around feeding the animals. For this I would recommend the bats and otters!

You can also visit the ‘Gerald Durrell story’, and learn about the founder of the zoo and his life.

There is plenty of free parking at the entrance. There are 2 cafes, as well as a children’s play area, a gift shop, a camp ground and even a hostel. There are also gardens and an orchard, where keepers grow food for the animals.

As long as I visit Jersey I will visit this place. I hope it exists as long as there are species in need of it. 5 Stars!