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The Great Britain Guide

Zoos & aquariums · South West England

Dartmoor Zoological Park

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Dartmoor Zoological Park — British zoological garden.

Dartmoor Zoological Park, zoos & aquariums in Devon

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Plan your visit

Typical visit
3 h–5 h
Nearest railway station
Plym Bridge · 5.8 km
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Dartmoor Zoological Park is a zoo, wildlife park, or public aquarium in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1968. It covers approximately 33 km². Address: PL7 5DG. Wikidata describes it as: "British zoological garden". Coordinates: 50.4070°, -3.9970°.

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Protected designations

  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: South Devon

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Dartmoor Zoological Society (originally Dartmoor Wildlife Park then Dartmoor Zoological Park) is a 33-acre (13 ha) zoo just north of the village of Sparkwell, on the south-west edge of Dartmoor, in the county of Devon in the South West of England. It was opened in 1968 by Ellis Daw who ran it until its licence was revoked and it was forced to close in 2006. The zoo was bought in August 2006 by Benjamin Mee, who reopened it in July 2007, later writing a book about his experiences called We Bought a Zoo (2008). A 2011 film of the same title was loosely based on the book. In September 2014 the zoo became the charity Dartmoor Zoological Society, a charity that focuses on conservation, education and research.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The zoo was opened as Dartmoor Wildlife Park by Ellis Daw in 1968 on the Goodamoor Estate that his family had bought in 1948. Goodamoor House was built in the 17th century by Paul Ourry Treby of the Treby family in the parish of Plymton St Mary. The Treby family lived on the estate until the late 19th century. In the following years Daw acquired many species to add to his collection, including lions and tigers, jaguars and pumas. He was also instrumental in the design and construction of many of the buildings and enclosures around the park. Dartmoor Wildlife Park became the subject of local debate after a 2001 report by the Captive Animals Protection Society raised questions about the…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
50.4070, -3.9970
County
Devon
District
South Hams
Parish
Sparkwell
Postcode
PL7 5DG
Parliamentary constituency
South West Devon
Established
1968
Nearest railway station
Plym Bridge5.8 km

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Dartmoor Zoological Park?
Dartmoor Zoological Park is in Devon, South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode PL7 5DG), in the parish of Sparkwell.
When was Dartmoor Zoological Park built?
Built or established in 1968.
Is Dartmoor Zoological Park a protected site?
Yes — Dartmoor Zoological Park is part of the South Devon National Landscape (AONB).
How do I get to Dartmoor Zoological Park?
The nearest railway station is Plym Bridge, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode PL7 5DG.
How busy is Dartmoor Zoological Park?
Dartmoor Zoological Park draws around 80,000 visitors a year.