Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Bradwell Grove, Chipping Norton (2026)

09/06/2026

Cotswold Wildlife Park welcomes its 1,000th “Dreamnight At The Zoo” guest during a special after-hours event.

Recently, Cotswold Wildlife Park quietly opened its doors for a very special evening: “Dreamnight At The Zoo”- an invitation-only event for chronically ill and disabled children and their families to exclusively enjoy the wildlife park after hours. This is the 11th year the Park has hosted this wonderful night.

“Dreamnight At The Zoo” was the brainchild of zoo keeper Peter van der Wulp. Back in 1996, Peter went to the Director of Rotterdam Zoo with a special request. His dream was to organise a free evening out at the zoo exclusively for children with cancer. Peter wanted it to be a joyous night for the whole family to enjoy and relax, without the worry of being treated differently. What began as a single event has since grown into an annual international initiative of which Cotswold Wildlife Park is proud to be part of.

This year, eighty families were invited from Helen & Douglas House, Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, ROSY, CALM Charity, James Hopkins Trust and WellChild - the national charity for sick children. As well as the rare opportunity to see the animals at night when the Park is normally closed to visitors, keepers and staff volunteered to make the evening one to remember with some unforgettable animal encounters with the Lemurs, Giraffes, Penguins and for the first time, the Park’s Giant Tortoises. Their night of activities continued with train rides on the Park’s narrow-gauge railway, refreshments, herb planting with the Park’s gardeners, games on the Manor lawn, animal crafts, music courtesy of Highworth Silver Band and the chance to meet the amazing birds of prey from Cotswold Falconry Centre, who also brought along some of their new chicks for the children to see.

Kat Williams, Head of Care at Helen & Douglas House said: "Our families were absolutely thrilled to be invited to the special “Dreamnight at the Zoo” event. We support local terminally ill children and their families, and seeing their faces light up from the moment they arrived made the evening truly unforgettable. At Helen & Douglas House, we strive not only to provide outstanding medical care but also to help facilitate precious memories, and this experience gave families the opportunity to do just that. We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Cotswold Wildlife Park for their continued support and generosity in creating such a special experience for our families".

Layla, who visits Helen & Douglas House for supportive stays, was invited to the event - along with her mum Megan and younger brother Louie (pictured in the gallery). Megan said: "It was such a lovely evening and amazing to spend some quality time together as a family in an environment that’s not too loud or busy. The activities they had on made it extra special and we were able to see the animals closer than you would usually be able to, we particularly enjoyed feeding the Giraffes. Thank you to Helen & Douglas House for inviting us to such an extraordinary event!" Louie adds: "I’ve never been so close to a Giraffe before and the Penguins were fun to watch being fed as they’re my favourite animal".

Cotswold Wildlife Park would like to thank the generosity of: Mark Dalton and all the team at Cotswold Falconry Centre, Highworth Silver Band for providing such wonderful music, the Park’s staff and volunteers who all made the event possible and photographer Rebecca Louise for capturing the special evening on camera for the families attending “Dreamnight At The Zoo”.

05/06/2026

A Long-tailed Tit family with a rather unlikely neighbour!

Inspired by the current series of BBC Springwatch, we wanted to highlight some of the native bird species that have made the Park their home.

A few years ago, Head Keeper Mark noticed a pair of Blue T**s making a nest inside a Rhino post just feet away from our Southern White Rhinos - a very odd place for a nest considering the countless nesting opportunities there are around the Park. Recently, Mammal Keeper Liam filmed a Long-tailed Tit family that chose the Rhino House as their nesting spot, with the fledglings now safely housed inside. Blackbirds and Swallows also regularly build their nests inside the Rhino House, while Robins and Blue T**s do the same around the Giant Tortoise House.

This month, regular visitors may have seen a rather laid back Mallard waddling around the Park with her ducklings in tow. Thanks to Philip Joyce for sharing his wonderful photos with us.

What better way to mark another brilliant series of Springwatch 2026 than with a quote by Sir David Attenborough: “Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?”

01/06/2026

Ice Enrichments: Giraffes, Bactrian Camels, Red Pandas and Tapirs Enjoy Cooling Frozen Treats from Their Keepers.

With recent temperatures soaring above 33 degrees in Oxfordshire, our keepers were hard at work creating ice enrichments to help the animals stay cool. In response to the record-breaking heat, keepers produced the highest number of frozen treats and enrichments in the Park’s history. From our smallest monkey, Mabel the tiny Pygmy Marmoset, to our tallest residents, the Giraffes, the cooling ice blocks proved a welcome relief. Even the Park’s newest arrival, four-week-old Bactrian Camel calf Klaus, enjoyed his very first taste of the icy treats as well.

Chris Kibbey, Assistant Animal Manager, said: "With the hottest temperatures ever recorded for May, keepers have been working extra hard to ensure the animals they care for stay cool. As well as ensuring they have access to fresh drinking water, shade and cool indoor areas, keepers have been using their culinary skills to create unique flavoured ice lollies for some of the animals using all natural ingredients – many taken from their normal diet. The Camels were given a frozen cocktail of carrot, cabbage, watermelon and apple, while the Giraffes received carrot, cabbage and apple. Lo**ta and Gomez the Tapirs and our Red Pandas enjoyed cooling ice treats too".

Thanks to everyone who helped create, photograph and film the enrichments. Philip Joyce, Rebecca Louise and Conservation Officer Beth for their stunning photos/videos. Thanks to Charlotte for creating the Giraffe, Camel and Tapir enrichments and to James for the Red Panda bamboo ice enrichment. Also to Roger, Nick, Abbie and Lucy from the Mammals section for their help filming.

27/05/2026

Thanks to ITV News Meridian for their report this week about how we keep our animals cool in the hot weather. Thanks to Wesley Smith and Marky from ITV News Meridian for this news report. Looks like one of our Ring-tailed Lemurs took a bit of a shine to Marky the cameraman! Photos credit: ITV News Meridian.

26/05/2026

As the heatwave continues, keepers are providing the animals in their care with a range of cooling enrichments. Alongside ensuring all animals have constant access to shade and fresh water during the warm weather, the higher temperatures also offer an opportunity to get creative with enrichment activities.

This time, it's the turn of our Penguin chicks from last year's breeding season. To celebrate the first hatch days of Oreo, Beryl and Pippin, all turning one, Bird Keeper Laura created a special frozen fish cake for them, complete with a number one made from sprats to mark the occasion in style. Here she is pictured with Pippin, the chick Laura and the other Penguin Keepers hand-reared after she was abandoned in the nest at just four weeks old. Perdi, the youngest of the four chicks bred last year, is a little younger than the others, so we’ll have to wait until later this summer to celebrate her hatch day.

Humboldt Penguins, native to Chile and Peru, are no strangers to warmer temperatures, so they are taking the heatwave in their stride. To help keep the Penguins cool, Bird Keeper Laura also switches on the sprinkler in their pool, which they thoroughly enjoy. Some bask under the refreshing spray, while others dive in and swim beneath it.

Thanks to Philip Joyce and Kirsten Shergold for these great photos and to our dedicated team of keepers working hard in the heatwave looking after the animals in their care. We’ll be treating more of the animals to special ice enrichments throughout the week and look forward to sharing more photos with you soon.

We would also like to thank everyone who supported World Penguin Day recently at the Park. Thanks to the generosity of visitors, £350 was raised for Penguin Conservation Charity Sphenisco.

**Please see our pinned message for the latest Late Spring Half-Term Visitor Information - many thanks**

24/05/2026

Cool for Cats…

In the hot weather, keepers provide the animals in their care with cooling enrichments. As always, we ensure all animals have access to plenty of shade and fresh water during periods of warm weather, but the higher temperatures also give us the opportunity to get a little creative with enrichment activities.

Mammal Keeper Charlotte treated our Clouded Leopards to some cooling blood ice lollies—the first time they’ve experienced this particular enrichment. Judging by Jafar’s reaction, they were a big success! Here’s Jafar enjoying his refreshing treat.

Thanks to Paul Nicholls Photography for these brilliant photos and Mammal Keeper Charlotte for all her help with the ice lollies.

**Please see our pinned message for the latest Late Spring Half-Term/Bank Holiday Visitor Information - many thanks**

22/05/2026

LATE SPRING HALF-TERM VISITOR INFORMATION (including 'Lemur Week').

In common with other outdoor visitor attractions, the Park expects to be very busy over the Late Spring half-term. Please be aware that there is likely to be heavy traffic and possible queues so we appreciate your patience. To reduce queuing, we suggest arriving AFTER our peak times (which are tending to be between 10.30am - 12.30pm). As we are open until 6pm, there's plenty of time to enjoy the Park if you arrive later in the day.

• WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND DOG OWNERS THAT WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES FORECAST, PLEASE RECONSIDER BRINGING YOUR DOG TO THE PARK. The Dogs Trust provides useful warm weather safety advice for dog owners on its website.

'Lemur Week' from 23 May - 31 May 2026 at the Madagascar exhibit.
To highlight the plight of the world’s most endangered Lemurs, Cotswold Wildlife Park hosts its annual ‘Lemur Week’ to raise awareness and funds for Lemur conservation charities Helpsimus and Impact Madagascar. Our 'Lemur Week' fundraising stall will be open daily from 11am - 3.30pm at the entrance to Madagascar. The stall will feature a variety of Lemur-themed merchandise, as well as the chance to win a Lemur encounter. All proceeds will go to Lemur conservation. Please note: Normal admission price applies for visitors attending this event at the Park. Madagascar is open daily from 11.30am - 3.30pm with a keeper talk at midday.

For more information about the Park, there's a helpful 'PLAN YOUR VISIT' section on our website (www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk). Listen to BBC Radio Oxford on 95.2FM for local travel news and check a Route Planner for up-to-date travel information ahead of your visit.

• E-tickets go on sale up to 4 days before your visit (subject to availability).

Please ensure that you check our social media for any updates ahead of visiting the Park. We look forward to welcoming you to the Park.

21/05/2026

Cotswold Wildlife Park nominated in local awards - please vote for us!

We're thrilled to be one of ten finalists in the BEST FAMILY EXPERIENCE category in the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2026. We'd like to ask our loyal supporters to help us win. Voting takes a few seconds - just click on this link and please remember to verify and confirm your vote:https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/awards/vote/ (voting closes on Tuesday 26 May 2026). Thank you so much for your support.

We’d also like to thank Robert, who posted a five star review on Google this week. We are incredibly thankful for his kind words and thoughtful feedback:

"I only really review things that deserve a mention, Cotswold Wildlife Park stands out as a real gem. Beautiful Cotswold location, sensible pricing that consistently seems to avoid letting greed take advantage of general inflation at UK attractions. It's clean, spacious, there are actual animals to see in well designed habitats. Loads to keep kids occupied, a mini train that circles the whole Park, one of the biggest adventure playgrounds I've ever seen, that has convenient benches for parents and a kiosk that sells actual cups of tea at a normal price. Endless picnic benches! Even when it was really busy on a sunny day there was still plenty of spots to sit. Wear comfy shoes, pack light, and get there as early as you can, there is just too much there to do in a single trip."

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave us a review — it really does mean a lot to all of us at the Park.

Photo taken by Paul Nicholls Photography of White Rhino Ruby with her new calf Mo when she was just seven days old last November. Mother Ruby was named by friend of the Park, Ruby Wax. The Park is currently home to nine Rhinos - the highest number residing at the collection at any one time in its fifty-six year history. Visitors can see the new calves daily in the large Rhino paddock or in the Rhino House.

19/05/2026

Young Fundraiser Races Giant Tortoise in Unique Rubik’s Cube Challenge in Support of Air Ambulance Charity.

Recently, we welcomed inspirational young fundraiser, George Andrews, to the Park. He is raising money for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity—the service that saved his grandfather’s life. In April, George completed a Rubik’s Cube challenge in just 67 seconds, raising hundreds of pounds for the charity. It was one of many fundraising events he and his younger brother Alfie have undertaken in support of the cause.

George and Alfie, both passionate wildlife fans, were brought to the Park's attention by their mother, Tara, who contacted us about bringing her boys to the Wildlife Park as a reward for their fundraising achievements. After hearing about George and Alfie’s Give Back Challenge, we decided to organise a special activity for them. Knowing what a Rubik’s Cube fan George is, we created an “Eat vs Complete” challenge between 10-year-old George and our 90-year-old Giant Tortoise, also named George. We made an edible Rubik’s Cube using foods from the Giant Tortoise’s natural diet, including carrot and butternut squash. The challenge would see who finished first—Giant Tortoise George or young George!

Ten-year-old George managed to beat his namesake, completing the challenge in an impressive 66 seconds. His competitor took things a little slower, finishing in just under five minutes.

George's mother, Tara, said: “As parents, we are incredibly proud of both George and Alfie. Seeing the kindness, confidence and determination they put into helping others means the world to us. Today was such a special experience and the team at Cotswold Wildlife Park went above and beyond to make it unforgettable for the boys”.

The challenge attracted quite a crowd. Cheering from the sidelines were 93-year-old Evelyn Smith and Pat Baxter, aged 101, (both pictured in the post) from The Lakes Care Centre in Cirencester, who happened to be visiting for the day.

George and Alfie’s Give Back fundraising page can be found here: http://www.justgiving.com/page/cubechallenge

The edible Rubik’s Cube was created by twins Sophie and Lucy Riley from the Park’s Catering team. The twins designed and carved the masterpiece in their spare time.

Read the full story here: https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/whats-on/park-news/young-fundraiser-races-giant-tortoise-in-unique-rubiks-cube-challenge-in-support-of-air-ambulance-charity/

Great thanks to Paul Nicholls Photography, Conservation Officer Beth for the videos, Meg (Head of Reptiles), Harry (Volunteer) and Kyla (Work Experience) and last but not least, the very talented Riley sisters.

15/05/2026

Here at the Park, we recently celebrated World Donkey Day and the Education team got to spend some quality time with our family of Miniature Donkeys from the Children’s Farmyard. They enjoyed a morning walk around the Park for some exercise and enrichment. Danny also enjoyed a sneaky snack mid-stride on our way back to the farm! Clearly all that walking had made him hungry…

Danny, Skedaddle and their daughter Penny are such affectionate and mild-mannered animals and the three of them have such a strong family bond. The Education team and keepers will happily jump at any opportunity to spend time with them.

We are also lucky enough to be able to take some of our work experience groups in with the donkeys to practise key skills such as hoof picking, mucking out and giving them a much-needed brush when they’ve been rolling around in the dust and sand.

You can find the Miniature Donkeys in the corner paddock of the Children’s Farmyard next to the Goat enclosures.

DID YOU KNOW... Miniature Donkeys have excellent memories and can recognise places and other animals they haven't seen in over 25 years!
Written by Education and Activities Officer Lorah. Thanks also to Activities Assistant Harriet for the photos.

Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens

09/06/2026

05/06/2026

01/06/2026

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

24/05/2026

22/05/2026

21/05/2026

19/05/2026

15/05/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share