Twycross Zoo

City: Twycross
Country: United Kingdom
Region: East Midlands

Opened 01.05.1963

Species 183 

Twycross is notable for having the largest collection of primate species of any zoo in the world, outside Japan. It is the only British zoo to exhibit all four species of great ape, including the UK's only group of breeding bonobos (which joined the zoo in 1992). It is also known for its large collection of chimpanzees, some of whom were featured in television adverts for PG Tips tea. Twycross Zoo also holds a diverse collection of other animals, many of them threatened species. They include the Amur leopard, the rarest big cat in the world with only 30–40 animals left in the wild. The leopards at Twycross are part of a European endangered species captive breeding programme. In December 2006, twin cubs were born, both male. Unfortunately their mother died shortly after the birth due to illness, so the cubs were hand-reared. One male has now left Twycross Zoo as part of a captive breeding programme. Also here are giraffes, Bactrian camels, Patagonian sea lions, penguins and many other mammals, birds and reptiles.