Howletts Wild Animal Park Zoos

The Parks were started by John Aspinall more than 40 years ago to conserve and breed rare and endangered wild animals with the intention of returning them to safe areas in their natural habitat.

The animals are looked after in our two parks that cover over 450 acres of the Kent countryside.

Close contact between animals and keepers has resulted in a higher than usual success rate for breeding, including clouded leopards, lions, monkeys, rare small cats, and the world's largest captive breeding groups of gorillas, African elephants, tigers and black rhino.

So far the Parks have returned to the wild Przewalski's horses, black rhino, Sumatran rhino, Cape buffalo, ocelots, pythons and nine gorillas.

The BBC described the Parks as "Two of the best wild animal parks in the world". Kurt Benirschke, President of the highly prestigious Zoological Society of San Diego said: "When I am asked about the best "Zoo" in the world my answer is: If I were an animal the ONLY place where I would like to live is at Aspinalls' Parks. And I really mean it".

Howletts and Port Lympne run as a loss-making charity and depend almost entirely on visitors and generous friends for the funds needed to look after these animals.

We are open every day of the year except Christmas Day from 10.00am.

Howletts is at Bekesbourne, just south of Canterbury off the A2.

Port Lympne is off the A20, signposted just off junction 11 of the M20 near Hythe.