Exmoor Zoo
Exmoor Zoo is a privately owned zoological park nestled in the rolling countryside of North Devon, England, situated near the village of South Stowford close to Bratton Fleming. It holds the distinction of being one of the smaller but more characterful zoos in southwest England, celebrated for its intimate scale and the accessibility it offers visitors to get genuinely close to a surprisingly diverse range of animals. Unlike large urban zoos, Exmoor Zoo operates with a philosophy of personal engagement, where keepers are often visible and approachable, and the atmosphere feels more like a working wildlife collection than a polished theme-park attraction. This informality is a large part of its charm, drawing families, wildlife enthusiasts, and those simply wanting a day out in beautiful countryside.
The zoo was founded in 1994 by Danny and Linda Reynolds, who built it from modest beginnings on farmland in the Devon hills. Over the decades it has grown steadily, expanding its collection and facilities while retaining its family-run ethos. The Reynolds family have remained closely involved in the day-to-day operation, and that hands-on ownership gives the zoo a personal character rarely found in larger institutions. The collection has at various points included some genuinely unusual species — the zoo has made a point of housing animals not commonly seen in British collections, including various exotic cats, primates, reptiles, birds of prey, and invertebrates. It has participated in conservation breeding programmes and has taken in rescued or rehomed animals that could not be returned to the wild.
Physically, Exmoor Zoo has the feel of a place that has grown organically over time. Enclosures are set among mature hedgerows, Devon banks, and gentle slopes, meaning the landscape itself is part of the experience. Paths wind through areas of varying character — some shaded by trees, others open to wide Devon skies — and the sounds of the countryside mingle with the calls and movements of the animals. On a warm day the place hums pleasantly with birdsong, the distant bleating of animals, and the chatter of visiting families. On cooler days, when the mist rolls in from Exmoor, there is a quieter, more atmospheric quality that gives the place a distinctly West Country character.
The surrounding landscape is quintessentially North Devon, with Exmoor National Park lying just to the east and the dramatic coastline of the Bristol Channel accessible within a short drive. The village of Bratton Fleming is close by, and the market town of Barnstaple — the main commercial centre of North Devon — lies roughly six miles to the southwest. This situates the zoo perfectly for visitors combining a day at the animals with walks on Exmoor, trips to the coast at Lynmouth or Ilfracombe, or exploration of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The countryside around the zoo is lush, green, and hilly in the way that Devon always seems more intensely itself in these inland valleys.
For practical visiting purposes, the zoo is most easily reached by car, following the A399 north from Barnstaple toward Combe Martin, turning off toward Bratton Fleming and then following signs to South Stowford. Public transport to this rural corner of Devon is limited, so a vehicle is almost essential for most visitors. Parking is available on site. The zoo is generally open throughout the year, though hours vary seasonally, and it is worth checking the current opening times before visiting, particularly in winter when reduced hours apply. The terrain involves some gentle slopes but the site is broadly manageable; those with mobility considerations should check current accessibility arrangements with the zoo directly, as paths and surfaces vary across the grounds.
One of the more fascinating aspects of Exmoor Zoo is its commitment to housing species that rarely appear in British zoos. At various times the collection has included Fishing Cats, Red Pandas, Binturong (the bearcat of Southeast Asia, which famously smells of popcorn due to a chemical it produces), and an array of venomous and non-venomous reptiles. The zoo has also kept several species of wolf and wild canid, which resonate particularly well given the Exmoor landscape and its own ancient associations with wild creatures. There is something poetically appropriate about encountering wolves and exotic predators in the shadow of a moor that once supported Britain's own apex carnivores, even if those days are long past.
The zoo's relatively modest size — typically manageable in a single day — is genuinely one of its strengths. Visitors are not overwhelmed or exhausted in the way that a full day at a major national zoo can be. Instead there is time to linger, to watch keeper feeds, and to absorb each enclosure properly. The staff tend to be genuinely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, reflecting the zoo's ethos of active engagement with its collection. For children in particular the scale is ideal, and the relative proximity of animals to viewing areas gives a vividness of encounter that more manicured, larger institutions sometimes sacrifice to the demands of crowd management and commercial scale.