Get closer to nature
Meet our animals. From a herd of Asian elephants to 30 different species of butterflies, we have over 10,000 animals at Whipsnade Zoo.
Discover incredible facts about your favourite species - from their favourite snacks to the threats they face in the wild. And find out how we're using our expertise to protect them with cutting-edge wildlife conservation. You can also download our full species register document.
- Orycteropus afer
Aardvark
Aardvarks are nocturnal and solitary animals, and their burrows provide vital homes for many endangered species.
- Osteolaemus tetraspis
African dwarf crocodile
The world's smallest crocodile, they guard their young after they've hatched to protect them from predators.
- Panthera leo
African lion
Lions claws can be retracted in sheaths to prevent them getting blunted when walking across the savannah, which they can do almost noiselessly on soft pads.
- Spheniscus demersus
African penguin
These penguins are from warm climates, coming from the beaches of South Africa and Namibia.
- Lycaon pictus
African wild dog
African wild dogs each have their own unique markings and they are one of the most successful predators in the world, with a ‘kill rate’ per hunt of up to 70%.
- Elephas maximus
Asian elephant
Asian elephants are more closely related to the extinct woolly mammoth than to the African elephant.
- Aonyx cinereus
Asian short-clawed otter
Discover otter facts before visiting our Asian short-clawed otters at Whipsnade Zoo
- Athene cunicularia
Burrowing owl
The only owl species in the world to live underground, our burrowing owls show off their unique behaviours at Birds of the World.
- Acinonyx jubatus
Cheetah
Cheetahs can reach speeds of up to 100km per hour (70mph) and are the world's fastest land mammal.
- Pan troglodytes
Chimpanzee
Chimps are more closely related to humans than gorillas, and you can watch our chimps regularly use tools at the Zoo.
- Lynx lynx
Eurasian lynx
The Eurasian lynx is the largest species of lynx, and once lived wild in the UK.
