Ponderosa Zoo

Ponderosa Zoo Ponderosa Zoo is family friendly with over 140 animals, including Lemurs, Meerkats, Otters, Scottish Wildcats, Reindeer and many more!

Based in West Yorkshire and home to over 100 animals, Ponderosa Zoo offers a great day out for animal lovers!

*Our lemur walkthrough and air bouncers are closed during bad weather. We have multiple outdoor play areas and a Lakeside restaurant. Hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and ice creams can be purchased from the Coffee Shop and Ice Cream Parlour. Hot meals can be purchased from the Lakeside Re

staurant. Carveries can be purchased every Sunday! Tickets - https://ponderosa.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/28565?catID=28066


Memberships - https://ponderosa.digitickets.co.uk/category/28069


Animal Encounters - https://ponderosa.digitickets.co.uk/category/30506


Animal Adoptions - https://ponderosa.digitickets.co.uk/category/30833

✨ Something exciting is coming to Ponderosa Zoo! ✨We heard you! Following your fantastic feedback from our Dinosaur Day,...
23/06/2026

✨ Something exciting is coming to Ponderosa Zoo! ✨

We heard you! Following your fantastic feedback from our Dinosaur Day, we've listened to what you'd love to see more of at our events – and we're excited to be bringing you an even bigger and better family fun day in the summer holidays!

Expect a day filled with laughter, adventure, exciting activities, incredible animals, and a few surprises along the way... including something EPIC that we can't wait to reveal! 👀

📅 Save the date: 19th August 2026
🎟️ Online bookings only, tickets are available to book now!

Gather the family and get ready for a roarsome day out you'll never forget!

Keep an eye on our page for more exciting announcements coming soon... 🐾✨

⚠️ Important Visitor Update ⚠️Due to the extreme weather forecast this week, our Lemur Walkthrough will be closed on Tue...
22/06/2026

⚠️ Important Visitor Update ⚠️

Due to the extreme weather forecast this week, our Lemur Walkthrough will be closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will also be no animal talks on these days.

The welfare of our animals is always our top priority, and these measures help keep both our animals and visitors safe during the hot weather.

We're very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you're still planning to visit, you'll still be able to see our lemurs from outside their enclosure.

🌞 If you're visiting us this week, please remember to:
💧 Drink plenty of fluids
🧴 Wear sun cream
🌳 Stay in the shade where possible
👒 Dress appropriately for the hot weather

Thank you for your understanding, and we hope you enjoy your visit while staying safe in the heat.

✨ Did You Know? ✨Despite being members of the dog family (Canidae), raccoon dogs don't communicate like your typical dom...
21/06/2026

✨ Did You Know? ✨

Despite being members of the dog family (Canidae), raccoon dogs don't communicate like your typical domestic dog! 🐾

Instead of barking, they are more likely to make a variety of sounds, including growls, whines, whimpers, and squeaks to communicate with one another. 🌿💚

These fascinating animals may look a little like raccoons, but they're actually more closely related to foxes and other canids! 🦊✨

🌿✨ Meet our Animals at Ponderosa Zoo! ✨🌿Say hello to Dobby, our kinkajou! 🐾💚Did you know that kinkajous can turn their f...
20/06/2026

🌿✨ Meet our Animals at Ponderosa Zoo! ✨🌿

Say hello to Dobby, our kinkajou! 🐾💚

Did you know that kinkajous can turn their feet backwards? This unique adaptation allows them to move just as easily in reverse as they do forwards, helping them climb up and down trees headfirst with ease! 🌳

Also known as "honey bears," kinkajous love sweet treats and are well adapted for reaching beehives high up in the forest canopy. 🍯

Have you spotted Dobby on your visit? 😍

📚✨ We are now taking bookings for school trips in 2027! ✨📚Whether you're looking for a fun day out or an educational exp...
19/06/2026

📚✨ We are now taking bookings for school trips in 2027! ✨📚

Whether you're looking for a fun day out or an educational experience, we have a range of options available, including:

🦦 General admission visits
🎓 The Ponderosa Learning Experience
💼 Careers workshops

Our school trips are designed to inspire, educate, and create unforgettable memories for students of all ages! 🌟

To find out more, visit our website:
🌐 https://ponderosa-zoo.co.uk/group-bookings/

Ready to book? Give our friendly team a call on 📞 01924 235276 and we'll be happy to help! ✨

🐾 It's enrichment time for our red-fronted brown lemurs! 💚Enrichment plays an important role in keeping our animals happ...
18/06/2026

🐾 It's enrichment time for our red-fronted brown lemurs! 💚

Enrichment plays an important role in keeping our animals happy, healthy, and mentally stimulated. That's why all of our animals receive daily enrichment designed to encourage natural behaviours and provide plenty of fun! 🌿✨

Who else loves seeing our curious lemurs explore and play? 😍

🍽️ Treat yourself to our delicious Sunday Carvery at Lakeside Restaurant, served every Sunday! 😍Make a day of it and enj...
17/06/2026

🍽️ Treat yourself to our delicious Sunday Carvery at Lakeside Restaurant, served every Sunday! 😍

Make a day of it and enjoy a visit to the zoo afterwards for the perfect family outing! 🦦✨

📞 To book your table, call us on 01924 404604 or email [email protected].

🎟️ Please note: Zoo tickets must be purchased separately.

We can't wait to welcome you! 😁

🦊 Help us give our Arctic fox enclosure a natural makeover! ❄️We’re a small, family-run zoo with a huge passion for our ...
14/06/2026

🦊 Help us give our Arctic fox enclosure a natural makeover! ❄️

We’re a small, family-run zoo with a huge passion for our animals, and we’re excited to start planning a natural makeover of our Arctic fox enclosure.

We want to create a more interesting and enriching environment for our two resident foxes, inspired by their natural Arctic surroundings. Our plans include rocky areas, digging mounds, natural grasses, small conifers, tunnels and cosy den spaces for exploring and relaxing.

We’d love to involve our local community in bringing this project to life. If you have any of the following items that could be donated or repurposed, we’d be incredibly grateful:

🌿 Hardy plants and grasses or small conifers
🪨 Large rocks or stone
🌳 Untreated logs and tree stumps

Every contribution, whether big or small, will help us create a more natural and stimulating space for our foxes.

Thank you for supporting our animals and our family-run zoo 🦊

Our lemur walkthrough is open daily 11am – 12pm and 1:30pm - 2:30pm! 🐾 If this is the main reason for your visit to Pond...
08/06/2026

Our lemur walkthrough is open daily 11am – 12pm and 1:30pm - 2:30pm! 🐾 If this is the main reason for your visit to Ponderosa Zoo, please ensure you are getting in touch prior to your visit to ensure that it is open as normal! 😁🌿

🎉 Win a Meerkat Encounter + Zoo Tickets! 🐾Want to meet our meerkats with a friend AND explore Ponderosa Zoo? Here’s your...
07/06/2026

🎉 Win a Meerkat Encounter + Zoo Tickets! 🐾

Want to meet our meerkats with a friend AND explore Ponderosa Zoo? Here’s your chance!

How to enter:
💛 Like this post
💛 Follow
💛 Share this post
💛 Comment who you’d bring
🏆 The winner will be announced on the third Sunday of the month on our Facebook & Instagram pages.

Rules:
- Participants must be 8+ to take part in the animal encounter.
- Prize must be redeemed on a Monday.
- 🚨 Beware of scammers! We will never ask for personal info. Only entries via our main page are valid. Do not click suspicious links.

Good luck! 🍀💛

Address

Off Smithies Lane
Heckmondwike
WF160PN

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441924235276

Website

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