Northumberland College Zoo

Northumberland College Zoo is an educational zoological facility located in Ponteland, Northumberland, within the United Kingdom. It is situated on the expansive 400-acre (160 ha) Kirkley Hall College campus, which it shares with Kirkley Hall. The zoo is managed by Northumberland College and functions primarily as a hands-on training environment for students enrolled in animal care courses.

History and Development

The institution first welcomed visitors as a public attraction in May 2011, under the name Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens. Prior to its opening as a visitor site, the grounds were exclusively utilized by Northumberland College for the practical education of its animal care students. The zoo's initial animal inhabitants included species such as emus, wallabies, marmosets, lemurs, and meerkats. In 2012, the zoo achieved membership in the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), a development that led to the acquisition of its first animals through this affiliation, notably two red-crowned cranes from Chester Zoo. An application for membership with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) in 2016 was unsuccessful. The zoo officially adopted its current name, Northumberland College Zoo, in July 2020.

Educational Mission and Public Access

The zoo's core purpose is to serve as an educational training facility for students pursuing animal care qualifications. It is accessible to the public as a visitor attraction only during specific periods, including weekends, bank holidays, and school holidays. The collection at Northumberland College Zoo comprises over 200 different species, encompassing a diverse range of animals such as meerkats, raccoon dogs, bush dogs, binturongs (also known as bearcats), Asian palm civets, various small primates, as well as fish, birds, and reptiles.