Full zoo listing

Grevy’s Zebra

The largest out of all zebra species in the world, Grevy’s Zebra are distinctive for their long ears and white bellies. Every zebra has their own unique black and white stripe patterned fur, similar to how each human has their own individual set of fingerprints. Our father and son team, Chifu and Orion, are very friendly and like nothing more than to spend their day grazing.

FUN FACT: Zebras can spend up to three-quarters of their day eating!

Scimitar Horned Oryx

Distinctive for their long, thin curved horns and white and red-brown fur, Scimitar Horned Oryx make a striking sight in our African Reserve. Sadly, Scimitar Horned Oryx were classified as extinct in the wild by IUCN in 2007, so conservation programmes are very important in sustaining the global genetic gene pool.

FUN FACT: To help cope with a lack of water, Scimitar Horned Oryx raise their body temperature up to 46°C to help conserve water by avoiding sweating.

Meerkats

Originally from South Africa, meerkats live in dry areas, feed during the day on insects and other small animals and to keep warm and safe at night they live in burrows underground. Meerkats are sociable animals and can live in groups of up to 20, which plays a key part in their survival.

FUN FACT: Meerkats have dark patches around their eyes that act a little bit like sunglasses, they cut down glare from the sun and help them to see far in the distance.

Dwarf Mongoose

As their name suggests, Dwarf Mongoose are the smallest mongoose species found throughout Africa. With speckled reddish-brown fur, a short nose and long fluffy tail they are known for their inquisitive nature. Dwarf Mongooses usually live in groups of 12-15 individuals with a dominant male and female leading the pack.

FUN FACT: Only the dominant pair are allowed to breed, on average having three litters a year, with two to four babies each time.

Crested Porcupine

Even though they may look scary with their pointy black and white quills covering their neck and back, Crested Porcupines only use them to defend themselves from predators. They are nocturnal animals who actually spend most of their time looking for food such as insects and fruit.

FUN FACT: Crested Porcupines have been known to travel up to 15km per night in the hunt for something tasty to eat.

Agouti

Agouti are a member of the rodent family, related to guinea pigs and capybara. They live in savannah and rainforest areas in Central and South America, and they like to eat leaves, roots and fruit.

FUN FACT: Agouti have 5 toes on their front legs and 3 on their hind legs. This makes them good swimmers.

Ostrich

The Ostrich, (Struthio camelus), is a large flightless bird native to Africa and is the only living species of its family. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at maximum speeds of about 97.5 kilometres per hour (60.6 mph), the top land speed of any bird. The Ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest egg of any living bird. The diet of the Ostrich mainly consists of plant matter, though it also eats invertebrates.

FUN FACT: Ostriches don't need to drink - they can make their own water internally and top up with what they can extract from vegetation.

Sitatunga

Sitatunga are one of the smallest species of antelope, standing on average at 1.5 metres tall. They are very shy animals and like to spend most of their time by themselves. See if you can spot one hiding in the trees or by their watering hole.

FUN FACT: Sitatunga are amphibious! They have long hooves which help them to swim long distances at a time and they can hold their breath underwater if in danger.

Rainbow Lorikeets

Rainbow Lorikeets are small colourful birds, part of the parrot family. They are native to rainforests in Australia, Indonesia and Papa New Guinea. Through our new walkthrough aviary, adventurers can actually feed the lorikeets as they fly down to eat nectar from pots.

FUN FACT: Lorikeets love to eat nectar and pollen and can eat up to 650 flowers a day!

White-Cheeked Turaco

The White Cheeked Turaco is a beautiful bird, easily recognisable because of its bright green plumage, black crest, single white stripe on its neck and bright orange eye socket and bill. They like to feed on fruit and plant material in the forests where they live in Central and Southern Africa.

FUN FACT: White Cheeked Turaco have tiny claws at the end of their wings so they can grip to twigs near my nest

Blue-faced Honeyeater

With distinctive blue face markings, these beautiful birds are native to tropical and sub-tropical areas in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Blue-faced Honeyeaters’ live in mangroves, banana plantations and open forests; where their usual source of food is in abundance including insects, bananas, berries and pollen.

FUN FACT: Honeyeaters can extend their tongue up to 10 times a second to extract nectar.

Pied Avocet

Spot these distinctive large black and white waders in our Lorikeet Lagoon. They have long, upturned bills which they swish from side-to-side in the water to collect food such as little aquatic creatures, fish and insects. They can be found around Europe and Central Asia in shallow lakes and mud flats.

FUN FACT: This bird gets its name from its black cap, similar to the ones once worn by European advocates or lawyers

Golden Pheasants

Golden Pheasants are game birds native to forests in mountainous areas of western China. They like to feed on grains, leaves, berries, seeds and invertebrates. The adult male has very striking colouring of golden-yellow, red, orange, tan and blue. The female is much less showy with a mottled brown plumage.

FUN FACT: Whilst these birds can fly in short bursts they tend to be quite clumsy in-flight! Because of this they tend to spend most of their time on the ground.

Mandarin Ducks

The Mandarin Duck is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the Northern American Wood Duck and can grow to 50cm long. They mostly like to eat plants and seeds around dawn or dusk and prefer to live in cavities in trees nearby to water.

FUN FACT: The mandarin duck has become a symbol of wedded bliss and fidelity in traditional China.

Western Lowland Gorillas

There are currently 10 gorillas living at Chessington Zoo, the latest addition to the band is male gorilla Mbula, who was born at the park on 10 March 2009.

Sumatran Tigers

Mother and daughter, Ratna and Kelabu are the spectacular tigers that reside in the Zoo at Chessington World of Adventures.

Asiatic Lions

There are currently two Asiatic Lions at Chessington Zoo, male Ashok and female Kalinga.

Persian Leopards

The family of Leopards at Chessington Zoo is made up of father Kalaf, mother Shakira and their cubs Cyrus, Tahmine and Soraya.

Binturong

There are currently three binturongs living at Chessington Zoo – Jelita, Awam and the latest addition, Ayu.

Fossa

We have male fossa Kimbato and female Perinet living at Chessington Zoo.

Blacktip Reef Shark

Found across the tropical coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Blacktip Reef Shark’s distinctive dorsal fin is a common sight skimming the shallow waters. Many people have a fear of sharks, but Blacktip Reef sharks are relatively timid and pose little threat to humans, unless they stand in their way of them hunting fish!

FUN FACT: Sharks cannot swim backwards. In order to prevent suffocation, sharks must keep seawater flowing through their open mouths and over their gills to breathe.

Rays

Rays are distinctive from other sea dwelling creatures due to their flat bodies and long thin tails. Most rays live on the sea floor and survive by taking water in through small openings on the top of their heads, known as spiracles, and passing it out through their gills. They survive on small clams, snails and fish. At Chessington we have Spotted Rays, Thornback Rays, Undulate Rays and Painted Rays.

FUN FACT: Ancient Greek dentists used the venom from a stingray’s spine as an anesthetic.

Jelly Fish

Jellyfish are one of the oldest species found on the planet. They come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes – ranging from 3mm to 3metres in diameter. Jellyfish have long tentacles that are covered in stinging cells which can cause a very painful sting. They do not have a brain, heart or any bones.

FUN FACT: Jellyfish need to be kept in round tanks otherwise they get stuck in the corners! They are very poor swimmers and usually simply drift in the water.

Starfish

There are over 2,000 species of starfish across the worlds’ oceans. Their underside is covered in hundreds of small tube-like feet which allow them to move about. These tubes also help the starfish to eat by opening shells so the starfish can eat the clams and scallops inside.

FUN FACT: Whilst most starfish have five arms, some have many more. The Sun Starfish can have up to 40 arms! Starfish also have the ability to grow new arms if they lose one.

Lionfish

Lionfish are native to warm waters in the Indian and Pacific oceans. These fish may look pretty with their unusual red and white stripes, but they are not friendly at all! Lionfish are venomous with their needle-like spikes, or fins, packed full of deadly venom, protecting them from predators in the water.

FUN FACT: Lionfish will often spread their spikes and trap small fish there so that they can swallow them more easily.

Puffer fish

Puffer fish have a big head and big eyes with a rather small body, which actually makes them quite poor swimmers. Puffer fish are famous for their ability to inflate to almost double their size. They quickly take in huge amounts of water which makes them look bigger and scarier to nearby predators. Puffer fish are also extremely venomous. There is enough toxin in one Puffer fish to kill 30 humans!

FUN FACT: Puffer fish are said to have friendly personalities and good memories. Some even say they learn to recognise their keepers.

Seahorses

There are over 30 species of seahorses around the world, found mainly in sheltered, shallow waters. Seahorses are distinctive from other fish for a number of reasons. They do not have scales, more like a thin skin, they swim upright unlike most fish who swim horizontally, and their eyes can move independently, like a chameleon.

FUN FACT: Male seahorses give birth to their young. The female deposits her eggs into the male’s front pouch and then 2 - 4 weeks later the male gives birth to up to 200 babies!

Clownfish

Most people recognize clownfish for their distinctive orange coloured scales and three white stripes along their body. However, Clownfish can also be yellow, red or even black. They live in small groups in sea anemones. Clownfish are in fact one of the only fish that can remain unharmed by swimming through these poisonous plants.

FUN FACT: Clownfish are all born male, but can change to female at a later stage in their lives.

African Pygmy Goats

Pygmy goats are a small domestic breed of goat, originating from the Cameroon Valley in West Africa. Pygmy goats are known for their good-natured personalities, friendliness and hardy constitution!

FUN FACT: To help them keep a firm grip even on slippery hillside ground, Pygmy Goats have hair between their hooves.

Anglo-Nubian Goats

This breed of goat was developed in Great Britain and has distinct characteristics including large, pendulous ears and a “Roman” nose.

FUN FACT: Anglo-Nubian milk is high in butterfat and protein, which makes it perfect for making cheese.

Herdwick Sheep

Herdwick sheep are native to North West England and like to spend most of their time grazing the hillsides. They have thick wool to keep them warm during the winter, which people often use to make carpets of loft insulation. It is just too scratchy and coarse to make into a jumper!

FUN FACT: Herdwick lambs are born black. After a year or so they turn brown and then some turn grey.

Guinea Pig

Despite their common name, these animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea. They are native to the Andes and while they no longer exist in the wild, they are closely related to several species that are commonly found in the grassy plains and plateaus of the region.

FUN FACT: New born guinea pigs are known as pups. They are born with their eyes open, have fur and can start running within 3 hours of birth.

KuneKune Pig

KuneKune Pigs are small domestic pigs thought to originate from New Zealand. These pigs are very hairy, have a dumpy build and can have unusual tassels hanging from their bottom jaw. Lilly and Biscuit are our Kunekune pigs. They have a friendly, placid nature.

FUN FACT: Kunekune means “fat and round” in the Maori language.

Rabbits

Rabbits are one of the most popular pets to keep due to their affectionate nature and love of cuddles! To show they are happy, they often grind their teeth softly when being petted, similar to cats purring. Rabbits teeth never stop growing so it important they can gnaw on bark and other rougher objects to keep them short and smooth.

FUN FACTS: Rabbits can jump as high as 90cm and the World Record for the highest rabbit jump is 1metre!

Chickens

Probably the most common domesticated bird, there are now estimated to be over 43 billion chickens around the world! That means there are more than 6 times more chickens than people! Chickens are popular birds to keep, not only for their meat and eggs, but also their funny behaviour and beautiful feathers. Chickens like to eat seeds and insects.

FUN FACT: The oldest chicken in the world lived till the age of 16 years old.

Muscovy Ducks

Native to America, Muscovy Ducks can survive in pretty much any climate. They are normally black, brown and white in colour with red or pink faces.

FUN FACTS: Compared to other birds, Muscovy Ducks are less noisy with some people even calling them ‘quackless’ ducks! They are not however completely silent with the drakes’ having a low, dull call and the hens’ a quiet coo.

Lizards

Lizards come in all shapes and sizes and there are believed to be over 3800 species of lizards throughout the world. Lizards are one of the oldest creatures to live on Earth, first walking the planet 200 million years ago! Lizards have scaly skin and are cold blooded reptiles.

Snakes

Snakes are long, legless reptiles covered in overlapping scales. They are also distinctive for their lack of eyelids and external ears. There are over 2,900 species of snake around the world, most of which are non-venomous. Most that are venomous only use it to kill and subdue their prey.

Amphibians

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals, which means their body temperature changes to their surroundings. They change from young who survive in the water to adults that can breathe in the air. Frogs, Toads and Salamanders are such creatures.

Turtles and Tortoises

Turtles and tortoises are both cold blooded reptiles with a hard shell covering their body. Their backbone, breastbone and ribs are a part of their shell, so they cannot remove it or replace it. The difference between the two is that turtle live in the water, while tortoises live on the land.

Invertebrates

An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. Out of the million or more animal species in the world, more than 98% are invertebrates! Many invertebrates have a fluid-filled skeleton, like a jelly fish or a worm. Others have a hard outer shell, like insects.

Rhinoceros Iguanas

As their name suggests, Rhinoceros Iguanas resemble rhinoceroses in some respects. Males have a bony-plated horn on their snout and hard grey/green skin covering their body. They are herbivores, who like to eat plants and fruit in the forests that they thrive in.

FUN FACT: Rhinoceros Iguanas are very territorial and use their long tail as a whip to warn off intruders. They can also re-grow teeth that are lost after a fight.

Birds

Chessington Zoo is a bird lover's paradise!
See lots of different species of birds in the Monkey and Bird Garden. Make sure you check out the Owl and Condor feeds at 12.30pm, and Animal Antics at 4.00pm on the day of your visit.

Monkeys

We currently have more than twenty monkeys residing at Chessington Zoo grouped into five species...

Don’t forget to stop by at 3:30pm when you can watch the Squirrel Monkey Feed!

Capybara

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), also known as capibara, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs. Its common name, derived from Kapiÿva in the Guarani language, means 'master of the grasses'.

Capybara are semi-aquatic mammals found wild in much of South America in densely forested areas near bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds and marshes, as well as flooded savannah and along rivers in tropical forest.

FUN FACT: Capybaras are proficient swimmers, swimming with only their nostrils, eyes, and ears above the surface. They are also known to swim underwater - sometimes for considerable distances.

Otters

The Asian Short Clawed Otters are the smallest species of otter in the world. They are quite flexible and streamlined which means that they can groom themselves easily as well as helping them move quickly once in the water. Asian Short Clawed Otters live in extended family groups with only the alpha pair breeding and the youngsters helping to raise the young. At Chessington, we have a successful breeding family with parents Lancelot and Guinevere taking charge. If you fancy learning more about our loveable otter family, why not come along to our Otter Presentation at 10.15am

Humboldt Penguins

Humboldt Penguins are a warm weather species that live off the coasts of Chile & Peru in South America. They are a medium build species, growing to approximately 65cm. They are very quick swimmers reaching up to 20mph in the water. Male and female Humboldt Penguins mate for life and take joint care of their offspring, taking it in turns to sit on the eggs for 40 days.

FUN FACT: Penguins have excellent eyesight both underwater and on land.
Penguin Presentations take place daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm where our keepers give fun, fact-filled talks.

Reindeer

We are commonly known as Reindeer, however our correct name is Caribou and our Latin name is Rangifer Tarandu.

We roam across North America, Arctic and Subartic that’s why we have such thick coats to stay warm and wide feet to help us walk on the snow!

Our noses are special as we can increase the surface area of the nostrils so that cold air is warmed before reaching our lungs!

When our antlers grow they are covered in a velvet like fur which is rubbed off on trees once the antlers have finished growing.

We have a gestation period of 7 months and our young are called calves.
Our calves grow up fast and are independent after 45 days, but they stay with the herd until fully grown.

We eat mostly lichen but also eat tree bark and some grasses.
We are known as ruminants which means we have 4 chambers in our stomach (the same as goats and cows!)

Our predators include Golden Eagles, Brown Bears and Polar Bears.

FUN FACT: Both sexes grow antlers but lose them at different times of the year. Males lose theirs over winter so all of Father Christmas’ reindeers are female!