Chessington Zoo - Animals, & Attractions
Here is a list of all the animals and attractions at Chessington Zoo.
Asiatic Lion
Smaller than its African cousin, the Asiatic Lion was almost hunted to extinction but now some 500 live in India’s Gir Forest National Park. Males are much bigger than females and have a distinctive big mane and a roar that can carry for five miles.
Ankole Cattle
The Ankole Cattle can be found in savannah and grassland areas of Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. They have the largest horns of any cattle in the world - from tip to tip they can reach 8ft long! There are also honeycomb blood vessels in these horns that they use to help cool them down.
Common Eland
As the second largest species of antelope in the world, common eland has a stable population of around 200,000 across the world. They can weigh up to a tonne and stand 1.6m high at the shoulder. In Southern Africa, their meat is considered a delicacy and likened to high quality beef.
Bush Dog
Our Bush Dog can be found in Trail of the Kings at Chessington World of Adventures.
See Bandit, the bush dog, settling into his new home in Trail of the Kings at Chessington World of Adventures Resort. He may be small with distinctively short legs but he is mighty! Bandit is a carnivore and a keen hunter.
Caracal
Otherwise known as the “Desert Lynx’, the solitary and predominantly nocturnal Caracal has a wide habitat tolerance.
In the wild, they can be found in woodland, savannahs and shrubland throughout Africa; jungle scrub and desert in India; and arid, sandy regions and steppes in Asia.
They are considered threatened in Asia and North Africa, while in central and southern Africa, the species are widespread.
Clouded Leopard
With large paws, sharp claws and short, powerful legs, the clouded leopard (otherwise known as the tree tiger) is a great climber! In the wild, these cats live in the rainforests of south east Asia but are seldom seen. They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN (last assessed in 2016) with the population currently decreasing.
FUN FACT: A clouded leopards 2 inch long canine teeth are the same size as those of a tiger!
Leafcutter Ants
You may think leafcutter ants eat leaves, but in fact they carry the leaves back to their nest to feed a special fungus. The ants actually eat the fungus that they grow in the deepest chamber of the nest. Each ant has a very important role. There are even specific ants that manage a waste dump inside their nest!
Red-bellied Piranha
Piranhas are famous for their razor sharp teeth and their ferocious natures, however they are primarily scavengers and will avoid hunting if they can. As their name suggests they have a red belly and their body is usually grey, with silver flecked scales.
Western Lowland Gorillas
Very endangered in its forest habitat in Central Africa, Western Lowland Gorillas are the largest apes and live in groups dominated by a silverback – a mature alpha male with silver-grey hair on its back. They are very agile, climbing trees to reach their favourite foods.
Southern White Rhino
Endangered in their African habitat, these are the largest of the rhino species and one of the biggest animals on earth. Considering their size, they are herbivores and only eat grass. More greyish than white, the name White Rhino actually comes from the translation of the word 'wide', as they have wide mouths.
You can see our rhino when you experience ZUFARI: Ride into Africa.
Grevy’s Zebra
This endangered species, now found only in Kenya and Ethiopia, is the largest of all the zebras and like its cousins, the exact pattern of stripes is unique to each animal. Following their birth, zebra foals can stand after six minutes and run after 45 minutes.
Rothschild’s Giraffe
Rothchild's Giraffe are incredibly tall animals and male giraffes can grow up to 5 metres. They have amazing adaptations including a tongue that can grow up to 45cm long, this helps them reach leaves high up in the trees.
You can see our giraffe when you experience ZUFARI: Ride into Africa!
Pygmy Marmoset
The world’s smallest monkey lives in the South American rainforest canopy and when fully grown could easily sit in an adult’s hand. Its bushy tail is twice as long as its body and helps it balance as it dashes through the treetops, feeding on the sap.
California Sea Lion
Natives of America’s Pacific coast, California Sea Lions are found in large groups and dive to catch fish, sometimes as deep as 200 metres. Females give birth to a single pup and they can live to be more than 20 years old.
Southern Ground Hornbill
A native of Southern and Eastern Africa, this is the largest of the hornbill species and recognisable by its bright red face and throat skin and habit of walking on the ground as it feeds. Numbers are diminishing in the wild and the breed is classed as Vulnerable.
Chiloé Wigeon Ducks
Named after the island of Chiloé off the Chilean coast, this duck has an iridescent blue-green cap on its head and white forehead and cheeks. Its natural habitats are lakes, marshes, lagoons and rivers and it is known to be a highly vocal bird.
Rainbow Lorikeets
Lorikeets are related to the parrot family and native to Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. These vibrant, multi-coloured birds feast on pollen and tropical flowers and despite their size, they can eat as many as 650 flowers a day.
Humboldt Penguins
Found in Peru and Chile along the Pacific coast of South America, these medium-sized penguins feed on fish (they love anchovies) in the cold waters of the Humboldt Current. Male and female penguins mate for life and raise their offspring together.
Spider Monkey
Spider Monkeys can be found in Ecuador. Their diet consists of 90% fruit and vegetables and 10% nuts and seeds. They are very chatty and like to live in big groups of up to 35 monkeys but split up during the day to find food.
Kunekune Pig
These friendly little pigs are thought to have originated in New Zealand. They are very hairy, have a dumpy build (not surprisingly, Kunekune means ‘fat and round’ in the Maori language) and can have an unusual tassel hanging from their bottom jaw.
Reindeer
Known as Caribou in America, reindeers live in the cold north, including the Arctic. They have thick coats to keep them warm, flat hooves that act as snow shoes and both males and females re-grow their amazing long antlers every year.
Meerkats
Nothing to do with a ‘cat’, this appealing animal is in fact a mongoose. They live in underground burrows in large groups and when out hunting several animals will stand on their hind legs looking out for predators and giving a warning signal.
Military Macaw
They are found in Central and South American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru. Their favourite foods are seeds, nuts, berries and fruit. In Chessington their favourite treat is walnuts! They live in pairs or small groups but form huge flocks at night to roost.
Guinea Pig
First off, these popular animals and pets aren’t pigs and they don’t come from Guinea. In fact they are native to the Andes and while they no longer exist in the wild, they are closely related to several species that live on the grassy plains in the region.
African Pygmy Goats
Pygmy Goats are a small domestic breed of goat, originating from the Cameroon Valley in West Africa. They have hair between their hooves to help them grip on slippery hillsides and they are known for their friendly personalities.
Geoffroy's Marmoset
They are found in many protected areas in the Amazon rainforest. They like to eat nectar, flowers, insects and reptiles. Each group of marmosets have a number of favourite trees that they frequently visit, tapping into pre-carved holes for sap.
Three Banded Armadillo
They are found in south west Brazil and Bolivia. They mainly eat ants and other bugs such as termites, which they can smell through up to eight inches of soil. Armadillos are famous for their defensive, armoured shells. The three-banded armadillo can roll itself completely into a ball.
Scimitar Horned Oryx
Now classified as extinct in the wild, this Oryx with its graceful, curving horns is reliant on conservation programmes like Chessington’s. Perfectly adapted to living without water, it can raise its body temperature to 46°C to avoid sweating.
Red Handed Tamarins
Red Handed Tamarins can be found in Brazil, Guyana and Suriname. They like to eat, nectar, flowers, insects and reptiles. When a predator is around they use an alarm call which is very loud and high pitched to make sure others in the group are aware.
Ferret
The ferret is the domesticated form of the European Polecat and has a long slender body and short legs. The male of the species is much larger than the female. They are solitary animals and prefer to emerge at nightfall to hunt their prey, such as rabbits, rodents and birds.
Asian Short-Clawed Otter
Vulnerable in their natural habitat, these are the smallest species of otter in the world and are perfectly at home on land or in water. They live in extended family groups and younger family members help to raise their little brothers and sisters.
Ostrich
The largest of all the birds (and laying the biggest eggs), the flightless ostrich relies on its running speed of up to 70kph to escape danger. A native of Africa, it has the biggest eyes of any land animal and is the only bird to have two toes on each foot.
Capybara
The capybara, native to South America, is the largest rodent in the world, growing to over a metre in length. They have coarse hair and with partially webbed feet for swimming. They are equally at home on land or in water and will feed in either habitat.
Kirk’s Dik-Dik
These shy animals are small antelopes weighing around 7 kg when fully grown. Originating in Eastern and South-Western Africa, they mate for life and get their name from the distinctive ‘dik-dik’ alarm call they make when they are threatened.
AMAZU Treetop Adventure
AMAZU Treetop Adventure where young adventurers can play amongst real life monkeys and other amazing animals as you follow the adventure trail through the heights of AMAZU!
Children shorter than 0.90m must be accompanied by an adult.
Bolivian Squirrel Monkey
This species is widespread and adaptable to habitat change. They can be found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. They have 26 different calls; chirps and peeps when they are shocked, squawks and purrs when they want to breed, barks when they are fighting and screams when they are hurt.
Greater Flamingo
Flamingos live in colonies often with thousands of breeding pairs, yet mothers can identify their own chick by its call. Their distinctive pink colour comes from the algae and shrimps they eat as they stir up the mud underwater with their unusual beak.
You can see our flamingos when you experience ZUFARI: Ride into Africa.
Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins
Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins inhabit forest fragments in Brazil. They like to eat fruit, nectar, flowers, insects and reptiles. In the wild they like to sleep in hollow trees with very small entrance holes so they are out of reach of predators.
Saki Monkey
They are present throughout the Northern Amazon basin. Around 83% of their food is seeds and nuts. They move fast and hop rapidly in the tree tops, which is why people call them ‘flying monkeys’!
Dorcas Gazelle
Native to the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, these slender animals can survive without drinking, getting all the liquid they need from their diet of plants. They are incredibly fast and can run at almost 80kph.
Sheep
Herdwick Sheep are native to Northwest England where they graze on the hillsides. They have thick wool to keep them warm in winter and this is often used to make loft insulation because it’s just too coarse and scratchy to make jumpers.
Sitatungas
At home in the reedy swamps of Western and Central Africa, the Sitatunga antelope is an excellent swimmer and will escape to deep water when threatened, often submerged up to its nostrils. A shy animal, it spends a lot of time on its own.
Blesbok
Extinct in the wild, but protected on game reserves and farms, these beautiful antelopes are native to South Africa. Blesbok can live up to 17 years and their young, known as lambs, are up and about just a few hours after their birth.
You can see our Blesbok when you experience ZUFARI: Ride into Africa.
Education Centre
Our individual blend of animals and theme park rides truly offers a plethora of learning opportunities - whether you are covering topics like conservation and classifications or even Marketing and Business Studies we have the facilities to make your everyday learning a really Wild Adventure.
For more information on schools visits at Chessington please click here
