Information on Isle of Wight Zoo

The island's first zoo was opened in the 1950s and was known as the Sandown Zoo. It was built within the walls of the existing fort which had been erected originally as part of the coastal defense in order to protect the South Coast against French invasion. By the 1970s, the zoo had fallen into disrepair and was given the unflattering name ‘The Slum Zoo of Britain' by the Sunday Times. The interesting thing is, the Sunday Times , rather than doing the zoo a disservice by this attention, actually gave it the lifeline it needed to go on as the headline caught the attention of a successful business man whom took over the zoo in 1976. Under his ownership and direction, the zoo began its rebirth avoiding the inevitable closure it faced prior to his stepping in. Within that same year, a Herpetological Centre was constructed. The end of the 1970s saw the first introduction of tigers into the zoos collection of mammals. The big cats so enthralled everyone that they became the forerunners to the park's future emphasis on tigers as a species. The zoo not only brought in more tigers, they also had the honour of bringing several tigers into this world. As time passed, other large cat species were introduced to the zoo and by the early 1990s, there was a good range of animals, including the new introduction of lemurs, that called the zoo their home. This zoo is now home to Britain's largest collection of tigers, they have dedicated themselves as allies to the tiger species for a quarter of a century. This award winning zoo also cares for a wide variety of other animals including such big cats as lions, leopards and jaguars. Outside of the big cat species, the zoo has a large population of lemurs and gives demonstrations and talks regarding these clever and curious animals. Monkeys can always be seen hanging around in their habitat and snakes, spiders and lizards inhabit their own building set up specifically to address their special needs. The enclosures that house the animals are constructed in such a way as to offer the animals the most natural habitats possible so the animals are comfortable and display behaviours natural for their species.

The zoo still remains under the ownership of the businessman who saved it from extinction in 1976 and it is still growing and thriving, taking on new commitments and making new habitats. The newest habitat, the Kanha Enclosure has very recently been described as one of the best new zoo enclosures in the world. This zoo is forward looking and it has firmly established itself as a serious centre for the management and conservation of wildlife. The zoo features The Tiger Sanctuary and Lemurland which have naturally evolved because of the main focus of the park in tigers and lemurs. Conservation projects in India and Madagascar are in full swing and this zoo is looking to make a significant contribution in the strive for the preservation of both tigers and lemurs in their native lands. In this focus, the zoo also operates a full scale educational department that interacts with the visiting public and schools with the focus of understanding and conservation of wild life species.

Written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Garden Isle Hotels, a provider of accommodation in the Isle of Wight, with many Isle of Wight luxury hotels.