South East
A unique indoor tropical rainforest experience in Berkshire with over 700 plant species and rare animals.
The Living Rainforest has introduced Secrets in Colour activity booklets designed to help children explore why rainforests are so colourful and what colour means to rainforest creatures. Visitors can pre-order booklets online when booking their visit for £1.50 and pick them up on arrival as part of the Secrets in Colour glasshouse trail experience.
The Living Rainforest, a visitor centre and education charity in Berkshire, is hiring a full-time Café Manager and part-time Educational Tour Guide. Both roles support the charity's mission in environmental conservation and education within its tropical glasshouse setting.
Titan, a male salmon pink birdeater tarantula, is now on display at the Living Rainforest as the featured animal of the month. This species is one of the largest tarantulas in the world, with females reaching up to 28 cm across, and Titan possesses distinctive inch-long fangs and defensive pink hairs on his legs.
The zoo is releasing a new activity booklet to replace its current version. Visitors are encouraged to collect the current booklet before the changeover takes place.
FeaturedThe Living Rainforest is participating in an international conservation breeding programme for Goeldi's monkeys, a species listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to rainforest destruction and illegal pet trade. The zoo works with partners including the University of Reading to support research, education, and habitat protection for this threatened Amazon species.
FeaturedTwo female Goeldi's monkeys, Penelope (aged 4) and Isabella (aged 5), have arrived at The Living Rainforest and been introduced to their new enclosure. Penelope is the great-granddaughter of Sooty and Meeko, original Goeldi's monkeys that lived at the zoo from 1997 and helped establish the species across UK zoos.
FeaturedThe Living Rainforest has established a new conservation partnership with the University of Reading's School of Biological Sciences to support efforts protecting Goeldi's monkeys, a species listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The zoo is expanding its role as a conservation hub, working with the international breeding programme to maintain a healthy captive population while advocating for habitat protection in the upper Amazon Basin.
FeaturedTwo Goeldi's monkeys, Penelope (age 4) and Isabella (age 5), are arriving at The Living Rainforest in January, with Penelope being the great-granddaughter of the zoo's historic pair Sooty and Meeko. The return marks a significant milestone for the zoo's long-standing conservation work with this vulnerable species, which faces extinction in the wild due to habitat loss.
FeaturedThe Living Rainforest has successfully restored a 100-year-old Jade Vine to thriving condition after years of decline caused by Java Sparrows damaging the plant. The facility now has twelve seedlings propagating and multiple cuttings showing new growth, marking a significant horticultural achievement.
The Living Rainforest has replaced its day tickets and annual memberships with a new Rainforest Pass that allows unlimited visits for one year. Current annual members will receive three extra months added to their expiry date as a thank you for their support.
The zoo is accepting bookings for guided school tours during the 2025/2026 academic year, with dates through December filling up quickly. The zoo recommends booking 6–12 months in advance, though the team will attempt to accommodate requests for preferred dates.
The zoo has been selected as a finalist in the School Travel Awards 2025, competing in two categories including Best Wildlife Attraction. The recognition reflects the zoo's education programme and the dedication of tour guides who deliver rainforest experiences to thousands of school children annually.
A new corporate team-building experience is launching in 2025 that combines a rainforest visit with sustainability-focused training and activities. The programme is designed for blue-chip companies and university teams seeking an inspiring and educational awayday.