The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo
Artwork from The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo, illustrated by Garry Parsons. Copyright © Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, 2025.
Exclusive to Chester Zoo this summer
Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter have written a hilarious new picture book, The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo!, illustrated by Garry Parsons. Their much-loved character 'Dino' has pooped animals across the zoo this summer - and it's your job to find them all.
You'll find this family fun nowhere else and your little ones will learn interesting and educational animal poop facts along the way. Find all of the animals to complete the trail and join our rangers for a 'poo party' to celebrate (see our activity timetable for poo party details).
Best of all, it's free with your admission or membership!
What to expect:
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Family - fun trail with fascinating animal facts✨🐾
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Animal talks exploring the surprising ways poop helps wildlife to survive and thrive 🌿💩
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So many exciting animals to spot 🐧
We bring the silly, you bring your family
Download the Chester Zoo app and navigate to the trail tab. Here you'll find all of the locations where Dino has pooped. Go to each location to discover the animal that Dino's plopped and to learn a fun poop fact about that animal.
Once you've found all of the animals, head to Basecamp at the centre of the zoo to complete the trail and to discover how you can enter a prize draw to win a membership for a whole year of endless adventures!
Book your tickets today
Don’t miss out! Buy your tickets now or become a member for unlimited zoo adventures all year long.
Get ready for a day packed with poop-themed fun!
We’ve lined up an array of exciting activities that are as entertaining as they are educational. Check out the carousel below to see what we have planned or check out our activity timetable.
Dance with our rangers at the heart of the zoo at the poo party! Are you the party-pooper?
From 26 July, grab a photo with your family in front of our giant book!
Can you find all of the animals that Dino has pooped in Chester Zoo?
Join a talk with our amazing rangers to learn all about how we use poo to help our animals!
Join us for this exclusive event that is slightly silly, a little bit stinky, but a whole lot of family fun!
The latest instalment in The Dinosaur that Pooped series, The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo! follows Dino and Dany on an exciting zoo adventure. They explore the zoo, meeting monkeys, lemurs, and rhinos too. Dino get's peckish and can't wait for his lunch, so gobbles some animals - munch, munch, munch.
During the trip they meet the hairy and the scaly, but then it becomes a little bit scary. Dino's poop saves the day, and across the zoo, they fly away. But the plops don't stop now they're out of danger, so everyone must clean up to help the zoo's rangers.
This fantastic book written by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, and illustrated by Garry Parsons is available to buy now. You can also enter the competition below to win a signed copy!
Artwork from The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo, illustrated by Garry Parsons. Copyright © Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, 2025.
Win a trip to the zoo AND a signed book bundle!
As well as our fantastic summer trail, we've also partnered with Penguin to provide you with the chance to win a trip to the zoo - travel included* - plus, a signed book bundle, courtesy of Penguin Random House UK, Penguin Books Limited, and Chester Zoo.
*Return travel to the zoo from a residence in the UK (courtesy of Penguin Books Limited).
By entering this competition, you agree to our terms and conditions. Find the full details at the bottom of this page.
Fill in the form below to enter.
Summer activity timetable
Join our zoo rangers for our summer activities, 19 July - 31 August. Just turn up and join in!
- 10:40 Elephant poop talk
Join us at the elephant habitat to listen.
Did you know elephant dung is one of the most versatile poos in the world? Explore all the incredible things we can learn from (and do with) elephant poo! Learn how local communities turn dung into sustainable products like paper, jewellery, and even mosquito repellents! - 14:15 and 15:35 Poo party
Join us at Sumba School House to join in.
Our rangers will be dancing and playing games to celebrate all things poop! But let's hope no one comes along to poop on the party!
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15:15 Penguin poop talk
Join us at the penguin pool habitat to listen.
Ever wondered what makes penguin poop so fascinating? Join us for an exploration into the world of penguin guano (poo)! Uncover the surprising science behind penguin poo—from its colourful clues about their diet, to their incredible "projectile pooping" skills. Find out how penguins leave their mark on the world (quite literally!) by their poo helping the environment.
- 10:15 Meerkat talk
Visit our meerkat habitat to listen. - 10:40 Elephant poo talk
Visit our elephant habitat to listen. - 11:00 - 12:00 Maasai Olympics games in Heart of Africa
Visit our Maasai Olympic area next to Hidden Savannah inside Heart of Africa to join in. - 14:15 Savannah debate
Visit the Savannah Lookout in Heart of Africa to join in.
Join the zoo rangers to learn facts about the species roaming our Savannah habitat. Which will you vote as your favourite? - 14:40 See the birds get fed inside Tsavo aviary
Visit our Tsavo aviary inside Heart of Africa to see some of the smaller African birds. - 14:00 - 15:00 Poo party
Visit Sumba School House to join in. - 15:15 Penguin poo talk
Visit the penguin pool habitat to listen. - 15:40 Giant otter talk
Visit the giant otter habitat to listen.
The Dinosaur that Pooped a Zoo! signed book bundle, travel, and zoo trip competition terms and conditions:
By entering the competition, you agree to these terms and conditions:
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This competition is hosted and managed by The North of England Zoological Society, under the name of Chester Zoo. Registered Charity Number 306077.
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This competition is run in collaboration with Penguin Books Limited.
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This competition is open to residents in the UK over the age of 18, and by entering you confirm you meet this requirement.
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Employees and immediate family of Penguin Books Limited or Chester Zoo are ineligible to enter this competition.
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The competition is free to enter.
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Entries are counted if the entrant fills in this form.
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The competition launches on 17.07.2025 and closes on 31.07.2025 at 11:59pm.
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The prize must be redeemed and used by 31 December 2025.
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The winner will be chosen at random by Chester Zoo.
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The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered.
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We reserve the right to substitute prizes with another prize of equal or higher value if circumstances beyond our control make it necessary to do so.
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The winner will be notified within a week of the competition closing on 31 July 2025.
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The winner will be notified via email, using the address that was supplied within the form on this webpage.
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If the winner does not respond within 7 days, they will lose their right to the prize and Chester Zoo reserve the right to notify a new winner.
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By entering you consent to us contacting you using the data you supplied to Chester Zoo.
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Chester Zoo will be responsible for sending the family tickets to the winner, and for the purpose of prize fulfilment only, Chester Zoo will share the winner’s details with Penguin Books Limited so that they can send the book bundle to the winner and arrange for travel to and from Chester Zoo. By entering the competition you consent to this.
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By clicking submit, you consent to your data being stored in our systems in line with our Privacy Policy.
Details of prize:
Trip to the zoo for one family and signed book bundle. The details of the prize includes:
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Return travel to the zoo from a residence in the UK (supplied by Penguin Books Limited)
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A family ticket, 2 adults and up to 4 children (provided by Chester Zoo)
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Signed book bundle (provided by Penguin Random House UK)