Fota Wildlife: A day out that's head and shoulders above all others
See the giraffes extreme height allowing them to eat leaves and shoots located much higher than other animals can reach. Pic: Daragh Kane
See a Kangaroo hop in front of you or get close to a Ring-tailed Lemur this summer at Fota Wildlife Park, only 20 mins from Cork — a guaranteed great day out with something for everyone to enjoy.
Although the animals had a lot less company during COVID, the gates of Fota Wildlife Park are open again for you to explore all the wonders of its wildlife, from Sumatran Tigers and Asiatic Lions to Giraffes and Rhinos.
Through long-established breeding programmes called European Endangered Breeding Programmes (EEPs) which are run cooperatively with other institutions around Europe and beyond, Fota Wildlife Park is helping restore populations of some species while protecting the very survival of others.
As a conservation charity, the continued work of the Park is not possible without annual pass fees, gate, and gift shop receipts — in other words, it's not possible without you.
Fota Wildlife Park offers a range of Educational Tours and Courses . While their Education Departments open to receiving bookings from both schools and colleges, it is operating at a reduced capacity in line with current health and safety guidelines.
Fota’s Educational offerings include courses and tours for Primary and secondary schools as well as third-level institutions. All of the courses on offer at the centre combine both theoretical and practical elements and are pre-dominantly outdoor based.
Apart from schools and colleges, Fota’s education team also offers guided tours of the park on a daily basis to groups throughout the year! These tours offer participants an opportunity to see conservation at work and an insight into the importance of protecting some of the world’s most critically endangered species.
If you or your children have a favourite animal, Fota Wildlife Park is the perfect place to observe it in a habitat carefully designed to promote biodiversity and encourage natural behaviour.
“We are proud to be working hard to conserve and protect species of animal and plant life for the future of our environment, and we offer many educational experiences so that we can pass on this understanding to new generations,” said Director of Fota Wildlife Park, Sean McKeown.
Visiting protocols at the iconic County Cork visitor attraction now includes an online pre-booking system which has dates and times slots available to book seven days in advance. Updated visiting protocols also include the closure of indoor public viewing areas and the layout is now organised as a one-way directional walking route.
If you think meeting some of the wild animals is heavenly, throw a delicious BBQ in the mix. Available to book now, Fota Wildlife Park is delighted to announce a new combined entry ticket plus BBQ meal deal comprising of great variety that has something for everyone to enjoy.
From Sat 10th July until Sunday 22nd August, Fota Wildlife Park has announced extended opening hours with time slots available from 9 am in the morning up until a later entry at 6 pm, allowing visitors to enjoy the park until it closes at 8 pm. The hot food menu will be served until 6.45 pm for anyone wishing to dine in the special surroundings of the 100-acre Wildlife Park.
For more information or to book your visit, go to www.fotawildlife.ie.
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