Welsh Mountain Zoo

The Welsh Mountain Zoo (Welsh: Sŵ Fynydd Gymreig)^[1] 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 37 acres (15 ha).^[2]

Welsh Mountain Zoo Sŵ Fynydd Gymreig (Welsh)
53.2939°N 3.7479°W / 53.2939; -3.7479
Date opened	1963
Location	Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough, Wales
Land area	37 acres (15 ha)
Website	www.welshmountainzoo.org

Development

Przewalski's horse

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 (Under Development)

Recent additions

2006 - The arrival of a pair of endangered snow leopards and the breeding of the very first Bactrian camel in Wales followed. Caracaras have now been placed in the old condor aviary. Margay are another recent addition to the collection.

The zoo's next development project is the construction of a new tropical house for reptiles and new alligator facilities. Work began in 2007 with the demolition of the old tortoise and cactus house. Money has been raised through charitable donations yet the plan to build the new tropical were scrapped officially in 2021.

Species list

Mammals

• African crested porcupine
• Oriental small-clawed otter
• Bactrian camel
• California sea lion
• Chimpanzee
• Cottontop tamarin
• European brown bear
• Fallow deer
• Emperor tamarin
• Margay
• 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

• African Aviary — including starlings,
  pigeons and village weavers
• Andean condor
• Blue-and-yellow macaw
• Caracara
• Chilean flamingo
• Common rhea
• Common shelduck
• Domestic ducks
• Fantail pigeon
• Great grey owl
• Green-winged macaw
• Scarlet macaw
• Grey plantain-eater
• Humboldt penguin
• Ostrich
• Raven
• Various waterfowl species

Reptiles

• Boa constrictor
• Burmese python
• Eastern box turtle
• Kingsnake
• Leopard gecko
• Leopard tortoise
• Mississippi alligator
• Red-eared terrapin
• Red-footed tortoise
• Royal python
• Snapping turtle
• Spiny-tailed lizard

Amphibians

• African bullfrog
• Phantasmal poison frog

Invertebrates

• Giant land snail
• Tarantula

Children's Farm animals

• Domestic chicken
• Ducks
• Guinea pig
• Domestic rabbit
• Turkey