Join us throughout 2026 as we celebrate a menagerie of animals. From bounding bears to waddling penguins, to towering giraffes and unforgettable elephants, each celebration day will highlight their animal in its own unique way.
Whether it's special talks, animal feeds, family friendly activities, or extra animal experiences; we're honouring a whole variety of different animals, why they're important, and how ZSL is helping them.
What dates are we celebrating animals?
Some days include extra talks and animal feeds whilst other days will include games, quizzes, or activities. More information can be found by checking signage at the Visitor Centre or by clicking the links to their unique webpages. Find out what days we'll be celebrating below:
Friday 3: World Meerkat Day - join us for a special meerkat talk at 2.30pm.
Tuesday 14: World Chimpanzee Day - join us for a special chimpanzee talk.
Sunday 9: Action Indonesia Day - join us up at Monkey Forest and Asia for special talks for our Action Indonesian Animals!
Monday 10: World Lion Day - join us for a special lion talk.
Saturday 15 - Sunday 16: World Elephant Day - a whole weekend of fun. Check back at a later date for more information.
Sunday 16: International Oryx Day - join us for a special scimitar horned oryx talk.
Wednesday 26: World African Wild Dog Day - a whole weekend of fun. Check back at a later date for more information.
Saturday 19 - Sunday 20: International Red Panda Day - a whole weekend of fun. Check back later to find out more information.
Tuesday 22: World Rhino Day - join us for talks about the two species of rhino we look after at Whipsnade Zoo.
Saturday 26 - Sunday 27: Rhino Weekend - a whole weekend of fun. Check back later to find out more information.
Friday 30: World Lemur Day - join us for a special lemur talk and feed.
Friday 4: International Cheetah Day - join us for a special cheetah talk.
How to take part
Our animal celebration days are included in the cost of your ticket or membership. Additional talks, demonstrations, and activities are happening throughout the year so download the Whipsnade Zoo app for the latest talk times, interactive map and other useful information. All events and activities are subject to change and some activities are at an additional cost.
Don't miss out on an animal celebration day, get a zoo membership today!
Plan your day with the Whipsnade Zoo app to get the most from your visit. Explore with step-by-step navigation to your favourite animals, habitats, or eateries. Keep up to date with all the latest talk times so you won't miss a thing.
