Largest UK zoo habitat ever created set to open at Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo will open the largest zoo habitat ever built in the UK next week, a 22.5-acre development named Heart of Africa, home to 57 species from across the continent.

Opening to the public on Saturday 5 April, the new habitat replicates the grasslands of central Africa, combining wildlife conservation with immersive visitor experiences. Stretching across an area equivalent to 17 football pitches, it is one of the most ambitious zoo developments ever seen in Europe.

At its centre is a sweeping savannah landscape where, for the first time at Chester Zoo, giraffes, zebras, roan antelope and ostriches will share the same space, offering a naturalistic glimpse of African wildlife as it exists in the wild.

A new indoor zone, the Hidden Savannah, introduces visitors to some of Africa’s lesser-known desert species. Among them are naked mole rats, pygmy mice, short-eared sengi and the continent’s largest frog, the African bullfrog. Other highlights include venomous reptiles like the red spitting cobra and a new immersive experience placing visitors in a Land Rover surrounded by thousands of locusts.

Birdlife features heavily, too. Three critically endangered vulture species – white-headed, African white-backed and hooded vultures – will be housed alongside flamingos, black-cheeked lovebirds and the Verreaux’s eagle owl.

Visitors will also be able to see meerkats, aardvarks, yellow mongooses, African wild dogs and the critically endangered eastern black rhino. In all, the new area introduces many new species to the zoo while providing upgraded habitats for returning favourites.

Chester Zoo says the project will create 30 new jobs and attract an extra 200,000 visitors per year, boosting the wider Cheshire economy. All proceeds from Heart of Africa will support the zoo’s conservation efforts across the continent.

Jamie Christon, Chester Zoo’s CEO, described the new development as a milestone in the zoo’s history.

“Heart of Africa is the largest and most ambitious zoo development ever undertaken in the UK,” he said. “Introducing such a diverse range of species into one shared habitat is a first for us. It’s truly a breathtaking sight.”

The zoo’s teams have planted more than 6,000 native African trees, shrubs and grasses to bring the vision to life, with conservation at the heart of the project. The funds raised will contribute to projects across the continent, from rhino breeding programmes in Kenya to AI camera systems tracking endangered pangolins.

Dr Gerardo Garcia, Head of Ectotherms, said: “Every species here carries an important story. That’s why every visit to the zoo and this new zone will make a difference.”

As part of the experience, visitors can also explore Pamoja Village – a cultural hub offering African food and storytelling sessions, designed to help people connect not only with the continent’s wildlife, but with the communities living alongside it.

The opening of Heart of Africa precedes another major development at the zoo this summer – The Reserve, a new overnight safari-style lodge experience, set to deepen the zoo’s role in conservation tourism.