South Stowford, Bratton Fleming, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4SG
Exmoor Zoo describes itself as a specialist zoological and conservation centre, and that description is accurate in a way that matters. This is not a large commercial zoo with the full range of safari-park species; it is an intimate, thoughtfully managed collection of around 175 species that puts genuine conservation work at the centre of what it does.
The zoo is best known for its maned wolves, spectacular South American canids that few UK collections hold, and for its leopards, otters, tamarins, spectacled bears and meerkats. The layout of the zoo is relatively compact, which means that a visit is rewarding without being exhausting, and the keepers are genuinely knowledgeable and accessible for questions.
The zoo’s connection to the “Beast of Exmoor” big cat mystery is well-publicised and adds a slightly tongue-in-cheek dimension to the big cat section. The leopards here are very much real, and there is something quietly thrilling about watching them in the context of Exmoor’s long history of unexplained large animal sightings.
Exmoor Zoo sits at South Stowford near Bratton Fleming, about 19 miles from Woolacombe on the road towards Exmoor. It is BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited, which is the mark of a serious and properly managed wildlife operation. Open daily from late March to late October, with reduced winter opening.
The zoo’s dark sky location also makes it a genuinely peaceful setting for a visit, removed from the noise and congestion of the coast in high summer. The relative intimacy of the site means that you can get considerably closer to some species here than in larger parks, and the keeper talks give a depth of understanding about each animal’s story and conservation context. A visit here combines well with a drive onto Exmoor itself, particularly the moorland roads east towards Simonsbath that show the national park at its most open and dramatic.
