Dartmoor Zoo plans opening of brand new Reptile and Bug House

23rd July 2020

The brand new Reptile and Bug House at Dartmoor Zoo will open this Saturday 25 July.

After months of hard work, the new room provides far more space as well as upgraded animal enclosures.

The indoor exhibition is home to a number of exciting species including reptiles, amphibians and insects and some brand new arrivals . Located next to the wolves, the exhibition highlights the importance and diversity of these animals and the important role they play in our natural world.

Opening from 11am to 3pm for guests to enjoy at their own leisure, the room offers easier access and allows the zoo to create a one-way system to ensure that it meets current guidelines and offers a safe space to visit.

Justin Aird, Senior Keeper, said: “We are incredibly excited to finally be opening our brand new Reptile and Bug House. We have been wanting to progress with this project for many years and thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team, including Mitch Walker and Josh Middleton, and the generosity of local businesses and supporters, we have now been able to complete this development.

“I would like to say a special thank you to Endsleigh Garden Centre for generously donating four brand new large enclosures for our reptiles. This allowed us to use our imaginations and create naturalistic, enriching and environmentally stimulating enclosures for both our animals and guests to enjoy... We can’t wait to show our guests the brand new room and hope they will be as impressed with it as we are.”

The safety of guests and staff is paramount, so the zoo is asking all guests to wear face masks from Friday 24 July when visiting the Reptile and Bug House, shop, restaurant and toilets.

Dartmoor Zoo was established in 2007 when Benjamin Mee and his family bought an ailing zoo. Since then, Ben, his family and team have built the Zoo into the popular tourist attraction it is today. Ben wrote a book about his experience and in 2011 it was made into the Hollywood Film ‘We Bought a Zoo’ starring Matt Damon. In 2014, Ben Mee kindly donated the zoo to the Dartmoor Zoological Society charity. Today the Zoo is heavily involved in research, conservation and education projects to promote the welfare of animals and to enrich both the lives of humans and animals.

To find out more about Dartmoor Zoo visit www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk