Our Conservation, Research & Environmental Work
Learn more about the work we do here at Hobbledown to protect animals & the environment - visit our 'Research and Conservation' section.
With “Family Animal Contact Experiences to Forging Active Conservation Education” (FACE to FACE) as a driving force to our messaging, we seek to connect our guests to our animals to help inspire stewardship and care for the natural world and all of its resources.
Meet our animals
From capybara to parrots, Hobbledown Heath is home to a wide collection of farm and zoo animals. All are housed in unique, spacious enclosures with runs, tunnels, and bridges which encourage natural behaviours while also giving our guests the chance to come face-to-face with our animals – and giving our animals the chance to come face-to-face with you!
Enjoy daily keeper talks, animal walks, demonstrations and more. Get up close and personal with our permanent animal walkthroughs – and, if that’s not enough, book your own personal face-to-face experience…
Giant Tortoises
These slow reptiles can sometimes live to over 100 years old! They are also an ancient species and have been around for over 200 million years – that’s longer than birds, mammals and snakes.
Macaws
Known for being talkative and colourful, macaws live on a diet of flowers, nectar, fruit, nuts, seeds, and small insects. Hobbledown Heath has blue-and-gold macaws, and scarlet macaws.
Meerkats
A small mongoose, found in southern Africa. They are known as the Hobbledown guards because of the way they always stand to attention!
Book a face-to-face experience: Meet the Meerkats!
Highland Cattle
This ancient breed of cow has fluffy, floppy hair designed to keep it warm in the chilly Scottish Highlands.
Capybaras
These giant rodents are fantastic swimmers, extremely social, and very chilled-out! They are close relatives to the (much smaller) guinea pig.
Book a face-to-face experience: Feed the Capybaras!
Giant Rabbit
These cottontail rabbits are gentle giants; they can grow up to 1.3 metres long!
Guinea pigs
A common pet and highly social animal, domestic guinea pigs originate in the Andes of South America. Despite the name, they're not actually related to pigs at all.
Mara
Mara are members of the cavy family of rodents, making them the larger relative of the guinea pig.
Lemurs
There are over 100 species of lemur in the wild, and they can live for up to 15 years. Hobbledown Heath is home to both Ring-tailed and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs.
Reindeer
Not just for Christmas! Reindeer were one of the earliest animals to be domesticated. Both males and females have wonderful soft velvety antlers.
Book a face-to-face experience: Feed the Reindeer!
Ponies
Meet our adorable ponies, who have free roam across Hobbledown's bridges and grazing areas - and keep an eye out for our special pony parades...
Book a face-to-face experience: Pony Pals!
Yak
Although huge, yaks are herbivores – they eat mostly grass, flowers and moss. Their horns can be used to defend themselves, or to break through ice to reach the plants underneath.
Goats
Highly intelligent, and excellent climbers – look out for the floppy-eared Anglo Nubian breed and the miniature pygmy goats housed at Hobbledown Heath.
Alpacas
These funny-looking creatures come from the high altitudes of the South American Andes, and often spit up and chew their food over and over again!
Prairie Dogs
Native to North America, these burrowing ground squirrels live in tight-knit faily groups called coteries.
Miniature Horses
Yes, they're different to ponies! Miniature horses are often smaller, less muscular and stocky, and are more likely to be kept as pets than their working pony counterparts.
