Belfast Zoo

Other highlights include:
Bird Park
Our recently refurbished Bird Park contains many exotic and endangered birds, including blue-bellied rollers, hornbills and white-crested turacos.
Take a virtual tour of the Bird Park
Giraffe and elephant enclosure
Thanks to a successful European breeding programme, the zoo is home to a large herd of Rothchild’s giraffes.
A total of 28 giraffes have been born at the zoo since 1996, including the latest arrivals, Cotton, Sallagh and Moon, in 2007. Our latest arrival is Neja, who arrived from Altburg Zoo in Denmark in 2008.
Other animals you may find in the giraffe and elephant enclosure include ostriches and Grant’s zebras. You can also see our meerkats and cape porcupines near the entrance to the enclosure.
Take a virtual tour of the giraffe and elephant enclosure
Rainforest House
The Rainforest House is a walk-through exhibition with tropical landscaping and a constant temperature of 27 degrees.
Animals housed in the Rainforest House include:
•Jasmine, the two-toed sloth
•Rodrigues fruit bats
•Fulvous whistling ducks
•Nicobar pigeons
•greater necklace laughing thrush.
Lake side
The stunning lake side is the first main area you will see on your visit to the zoo. The area contains picnic tables, a play park and a farm.
It is home to animals such as ring-tailed lemurs, sitatunga, waterfowl and greater flamingos.
Take a virtual tour of the lake side area
Plants and gardens
Belfast Zoo is located on Cave Hill and offers stunning views over Belfast Lough.
Our 55 acre site contains a rich variety of plants and gardens. Native trees include hawthorn, rowan, silver birch, yew and ash.
Plants are an important part of the zoo, as our animals rely on them for food and shelter. The animals also help the plants to survive, by helping with the dispersal of seeds.