Days Out: Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a roaring success

Home to lions, leopards, lemurs, baboons, camels, tigers and meerkats, Yorkshire Wildlife Park makes a wonderfully day out. The award-winning park is a leading centre for animal conservation and brings visitors close to some of the world’s most rare and beautiful animals, including the only polar bears in the country - Nissan, Pixel and Victor, and their new addition Nobby who arrived at the park last week.

The park has become a leading force in polar bear conservation since launching Project Polar in 2014 and visitors can watch the quartet roam free in their ground-breaking ten-acre complex, complete with pools, caves and rolling terrain that replicates the bears’ Arctic summer tundra habitat.

Another firm favourite with visitors is the African Plains, which is being completely transformed as part of a £3.6m expansion and improvement plan for 2016. From this summer, the African Plains, which is home to a variety of African animals, from Chapman’s Zebra to the endangered Addax, will feature a new rhino house to house the critically endangered black rhino.

There’s also chance to learn more about the animals and their habitats at one of the many fascinating ranger talks, as well as impressive indoor and outdoor play areas and plenty of cafes and restaurants to grab a bite to eat.

FACTFILE

Admission: (Nov 2 – March 11): Adults £14.50, children £12.50. (March 12 – Oct 30): Adults £16.50, children £13.50. Under 2s free

Opening times: Winter season: Open 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm. Summer season: Open 10am to 6pm, last entry 5pm

Address: Warning Tongue Lane, Branton, Doncaster, DN4 6TB

Telephone: 01302 535057