Northern Ireland
Belfast City Council zoo set on the slopes of Cave Hill, with over 140 species including gorillas and red pandas.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Tracy Kelly, visited Belfast Zoo on 16 April 2026 for a site tour hosted by the Zoo's Management Team. The visit showcased the Zoo's conservation initiatives, educational programmes, and future development plans aimed at enhancing visitor experience.
Thheiba and Fidda, sister Barbary lionesses at Belfast Zoo, have both been euthanised at age 22 following health decline and to prevent welfare stress from separation. The pair were significant contributors to the EAZA Ex-Situ Programme, producing multiple offspring to help secure the future of this lion sub-species, now extinct in the wild.
The zoo is offering two tickets for the price of one on selected weekends in March (7–8, 14–15, 21–22, and 28–29). The promotion applies to adult, child, and concession tickets of the same type and can be booked online with automatic discount at checkout.
Belfast Zoo is offering half-price admission for children, students and seniors from 7–15 February 2026. Winter visits feature livelier animals in cooler temperatures, with indoor tropical Animal Houses, an adventure playground, and refreshments available throughout the 55-acre site.
Dan, a zookeeper at Belfast Zoo, completed the Tollymore Half Marathon in November 2025 and raised over £250 for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The funds support protection of endangered Western lowland gorillas and their habitats in Africa, while Dan cares for the zoo's own gorilla family including Gugas, Kofi, Namoki, Kwanza and Kamili.
Belfast Zoo has revealed the winners of its 2025 Annual Photography Competition across seven categories, recognizing outstanding talent from visitors, young people, and professional photographers. The winning photographs will be displayed in the Belfast Zoo Visitor Centre during October half term (25–31 October 2025).