Lakeland Wildlife Oasis

“We booked the feed the artic fox experience which was great. The keeper we did the experience with was really friendly and clearly knew alot about the animals. At the time they only had one of the foxes out due to injury so they also took us to feed the meerkats which was a lovely edition - and very kind of them. The zoo is on the smaller side but they are developing it and they are engaged in conservation work. We met one of the other keepers whilst walking around who was incredibly friendly and let us know what animals he was feeding so we could see this. We had a lovely time and would go back if in the area.”

“This is a lovely place. Lots of interesting smaller animals as well as the obligatory meerkats etc. I loved the free flying fruit bats and was very taken with the armadillo! We spent about 2 hours here and had a snack and a coffee too. The cafe menu is a bit sparse but the food is cooked fresh and is tasty. People have commented on the building work on site but to be honest it didn't really affect our enjoyment. Definitely recommend and will visit again”

“Pocket-sized wildlife park which has been steadily growing in size and ambition over the last twenty years. I first came when tickets were still just a few quid, and still return years later. As others have said, it isn’t a full day out, but there is a real variety of life on display, with a bit of potential hands-on (choose mid-week quieter days for this if you can, you’ll get more one-to-one discussion and instruction).A dedicated staff, friendly, cheerful, and the place has an air more of a volunteer centre than a profit-minded venture. Which I like. It’s about supporting the animals, in the end. Cute little tea and gift shop, there’s an indoor section with reptiles, creepy-crawlies, educational puzzles, aquarium, and outside parts where you can see everything from cute red squirrels to snow leopards to a variety of birds and a viewing glass right in the middle of the meerkat enclosure. There are even slides and swings in the middle of the park for kids if they do suddenly get bored. I’ve normally spent 2-3 hours here, it’s kid-friendly, and helpfully on the way to other places, rather than out on a limb - so the sort of place you’d use as a stop off on a return weekend from the Lake District or a north-south trip. Give it a bit of support if you can, it grows that bit more with more custom, and it gives you a close-up experience I’ve not always experienced at other venues.”

“Nice place to spend a couple of hours looking at the exhibits but definitely not a full day out. The entry fee is reasonable and goes towards the upkeep of the exhibits and care of the animals. As some of the previous reviews have mentioned there looks to be a lot of refurbishment works ongoing and areas are being updated. Regardless of this there are plenty of animals to see without little legs getting too tired walking long distances. Our favourites were the meerkats and armadillo ! Also lots of areas to sit so picnics welcome.”