Banham Zoological Gardens is a 50-acre (20 ha) zoo in Banham, Norfolk, England. The zoo, which in 2024 was reported to be a home to more than 2,000 animals,[5] opened to the public in 1968, became a charity in 2013, and has since been often awarded the prize of Norfolk's Top Attraction, by numerous different organisations, with an annual visitor attendance of in excess of 200,000 people. It is part of the Zoological Society of East Anglia, a registered charity which also owns Africa Alive Zoological Reserve near Lowestoft, Suffolk.
History
Banham Zoo began as a collection of pheasants and parrots, and opened to the public in 1968. In 1971, it acquired a colony of Woolly Monkeys and became 'Banham Zoo and Woolly Monkey Sanctuary'. Banham Zoological Gardens became the first collection in the UK to breed the silvery woolly monkey. In 1974, Banham Zoological Gardens was accepted as a member of the Federation of British Zoos. Today,[when?] it has acquired a much larger collection of animals, but it still retains one of the best collections of smaller monkeys in Europe[6]
In 2023, the Banham Zoo announced its plans to expand its native species breeding and wildlife programs over the next seven years. [8]
Exhibits
The Province of the Snow Cat is an exhibit that opened in the year 2009 for the zoo's breeding pair of snow leopards. It features rock-faces and a meandering stream. Three cubs were born here in 2010.
The Giraffe House was built and opened as a celebration of the zoo's 40th anniversary. Since its opening in 2008, there have been several successful giraffe births.