The Welsh Mountain Zoo () is a zoological garden located near the town of Colwyn Bay in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The zoo was opened on 18 May 1963 by the enthusiastic naturalist Robert Jackson. The zoo covers an area of .
Development
After the Zoological Society of Wales was formed in 1983 to manage the interests and operation of the cash generated, its development programme led to the creation of very wealthy owners and the following features: Jungle Adventureland (completed 1986) European Otter Enclosure (1987) Chimpanzee World and Chimp Encounter (1990) Children's Farm (1990) sales of pet animals (1996) Golden Eagles (1999) Sea Lion Rock (2006) Condor Haven (2007) Lemur Walkthrough (2012) Red Pandas & Otters (Prytherch Himalayan Terraces) (2013) Gibbon Heights (2014) Wallaby Enclosure Papilio forest (2025)
In 2006 a pair of endangered snow leopards arrived.
The breeding of the very first Bactrian camel in Wales took place at the zoo.
As part of the zoo's development project work began in 2007 on the construction of a new tropical house for reptiles and new alligator facilities. Money was raised through charitable donations yet the plans to build the new tropical house were scrapped officially in 2021.
Species list
Mammals
Oriental small-clawed otter Capybara Chimpanzee Cottontop tamarin European brown bear Fallow deer Emperor tamarin Margay Meerkat Lar gibbon Przewalski wild horse Red-faced black spider monkey Red-necked wallaby Red panda Red squirrel Snow leopard Sumatran tiger Welsh mountain goat
Birds
Andean condor Blue-and-yellow macaw Caracara Chilean flamingo Emu Galah Great grey owl Green-winged macaw Humboldt penguin Sea eagle Turkey vulture
Reptiles
Madagascan tree boa Western girdled lizard Spider tortoise Ousterlet's chameleon Three eyed iguana Merrem's spiny-tailed lizard
Amphibians
Poison dart frog
Fish
Cardinal tetra Red discus Adolfo's catfish
Invertebrates
Tropical butterflies Mexican rust leg tarantula Golden-eyed stick insect
Notable residents One of the Caifornian sea lions, Sofia, gave birth to a female, named Cali, in 2022. It was the first sea lion birth at the zoo for 18 years. In August 2026, following a review of the sea lion enclosure, it was decided to move the three remaining animals. Sofia and Cali moved to Colchester Zoo in September 2026, with Monty to follow soon afterwards.
Mabel, a long-lived chimpanzee died aged 60 in October 2026. She had been a long term resident and part of the zoo's breeding programme of Western chimpanzees. The median average life expectancy of female chimps in captivity was 38.7 years.
References
External links