National Conservation Zoo

Opening times today: 10am - 4pm (Last entry at 3pm)

Just around the corner from The Oakfield, next to the owls, is a garden that grows plants specifically for some of the animals at the zoo. 

Enrichment is a really important part of the work our teams do to make sure the animals remain healthy – both physically and mentally. Growing in our Enrichment Garden you’ll find herbs, flowers, leaves and fruit which will be given to a variety of wildlife, like primates, parrots and tortoises. The main aim is to encourage natural feeding and foraging behaviours, for example the herbs are used to stimulate the senses of our big cats, like the jaguar, and keep their surroundings really interesting for them. 

Napo The Jaguar At Chester Zoo (3)

Our award-winning gardens are home to...

2000 carnivorous plants

We're home to over 2000 carnivorous plants, making our collection one of the largest ever in the UK.

Over 130 species

 These incredible plants are kept in special conditions at the zoo. 

Over 1500 cacti

We have more than 1500 individual species of cacti at the zoo.