Curraghs Wildlife Park

Curraghs Wildlife Park

Curraghs Wildlife Park
4.5
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Curraghs Wildlife Park is on the Ballaugh Curragh which is a recognised wetland habitat of importance. The nature trail within the Park is a great way to see it. With over 60 different species of animals you will find Humboldt Penguins, Red Panda, Lynx, Silvery Gibbons, Flamingos, Meerkats, Lemurs, Pelicans, Fishing cat, Otters, Parrots, Emus, Wallabies, Golden lion tamarins, Spider monkeys and Macaques to name a few! The Park is ideal for all ages, mobility scooters and wheelchairs are available. 4 hrs recommended visit but you can send all day with kids in the many play areas. The Park has outdoor adventure play area, also - 'Enchanted wood' play area by the café that serves hot meals, snacks, ice-cream and cakes. Soft play barn, Jumping pillow and miniature railway that runs on Sundays and bank holidays. Members of BIAZA and EAZA the park contributes to species conservation both onsite and linked to wild projects. Open all year- check website for hours.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • exmoor-rover
    Burnham-On-Sea, United Kingdom34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lovely experience!
    This is a lovely little and well laid out wildlife park. My wife and I spent nearly 5 hours in the park on our recent visit to the Isle of Man. Also, the Mangrove Café was clean and offered a good choice of food. We found the Curragh Nature Trail particularly interesting and were lucky enough to spot two of the elusive wallabies along this trail! We visited the park on a particularly rainy day, so it would have been nice to have had a few shelters dotted around the place to stay dry, especially in the far corners of the park. Furthermore, it would probably be nice to include a few Manx Loaghtan sheep (and perhaps some Manx cats?) in the park – we were hoping to see both of these elsewhere on the island, but we weren’t lucky enough!
    Thanks Exmoor- rover! Really glad you enjoyed your day with us. Feedback noted. We concentrate on endangered species from around the world and as Zoo association members (EAZA &BIAZA) we co-ordinated in breeding programs with 100s of other member zoos. Manx cats aren't really a species or breed, they are a genetic mutation that leads to missing vertebrae, which can actually cause some to have life long health problems, so we would never keep them....however if you want to see Manx cats then Mann Cat sanctuary is the place to head, and for Loaghtan sheep I would recommend heading to The National Folk Museum at Cregneash. If you didn't make either of these places this time then maybe next time you visit! Regards, Kathleen
    Written December 22, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 9, 2023
  • Mrs D
    Wilsden, United Kingdom420 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out!
    What a fabulous day out! Whole family enjoyed exploring all the different areas and animals. Information and signs really interesting and child friendly. Plenty of space for the animals. Both our young children enjoyed the play areas. We all enjoyed the miniature railway. Great day out! Highly recommend
    Thank you Mrs Docherty! Really glad you had a fabulous day!
    Written July 6, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 8, 2024
  • Ann B
    21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Want to go back again and again
    This place was amazing! And I saw a wild wallaby here, one of the goals of my trip. The park needs updating, but only because it spends all its budget on taking care of the animals instead of touristy frou-frous. The staff are volunteers and have a lot of information available. We spent half a day here and only saw half of it. Be prepared to walk a lot.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 29, 2024
  • Ibrahim G
    Huddersfield, United Kingdom201 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Set out well
    Travelled here on the bus from Douglas. I was a bit anxious to make sure I got off at the correct stop but no need to have been as its a dedicated off road stop. The site is well set out, saw plenty of animals and an orchid. The cafe area is fine with the chips being the best we had during the visit to the island. There are 2 sets of toilets, one at the cafe and the other near the trains.
    Thanks for your visit Ibrahim, and thank you for the review!
    Written July 6, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 30, 2024
  • pchan
    Bradford, United Kingdom69 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place that the kids will love
    I wasn’t sure what to expect as I was worried it’d be small and not a great environment for the animals. I was thankfully pleasantly surprised. The staff were all very friendly and helpful, we followed the talks and feeding around and the kids got to hold a hissing cockroach. I loved that everyone was helping each other with the best place to stand to spot the red panda! The animal pens seem like they are well kept and you could get close enough to get excellent views. There’s even some free roaming areas. We spent a good few hours here and the kids (9 & 13) loved it. One disappointment was the café advertising dairy free ice cream (I was looking forward to the raspberry ripple!) only to be told they had none in - it was just printed paper that could’ve been taken down so as not to get our hopes up! The young lad who served us though was very polite and helpful .
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 9, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles240 reviews
Excellent
140
Very good
55
Average
25
Poor
12
Terrible
8

Alycia
Grantham, UK4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
We visited the wildlife park during our recent holiday. Entrance prices are very reasonable when compared to zoos in the UK! We arrived early and spent most of the day meandering round the park. We spoke to several of the keepers on our way round and were advised on how to spot different animals and the best times to catch them. They were all very knowledgeable and passionate. Following their advice we were lucky enough to see all the animals during our visit, including the elusive fishing cat. My daughter was especially delighted to see the red pandas come face to face! Since our last visit pre-covid, there have been some improvements made to some of the pens and enclosures and this appears to be ongoing with the new owl enclosure under construction.
Written August 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mandy A
Preston, UK14 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Couples
The animals were OK.. we came in autumn so many of them were hiding in their huts which was a shame. My main gripe is with the cafe though... it was awful! It has no atmosphere to speak of, very barren space so quite uncomfortable. It wasn't busy when we went, just a table of 4 there, and we ordered a hazelnut latte and a hot chocolate with the works..... what we got was a powdery bland hot chocolate that I could have made at home with "no works, cream, marshmallows etc" and a latte with no milk or flavour to it which took 15 minutes to make. We complained about both drinks and we did eventually get a refund for some of the hot chocolate money as we had not got the cream etc, the staff couldn't have cared less about the rest.
Would NEVER recommend anyone comes here for a drink, never mind coming for food. Shame really. It spoiled what had been a really nice visit.
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad you enjoyed the Park - to let others understand we had a change of Cafe provider last October with a temporary provider who came in at short notice to help us out, after the previous tenant withdrew at short notice, so I can understand why you didn't find it up to scratch that day - I do apologise for that. The café is now in full swing and fully stocked, open every day we are, and a pleasant place to eat a hot or cold lunch, or just have a snack out on the veranda over looking the flamingos. Sorry you felt it spoiled what otherwise would have been a great day - it was unfortunate time - a change of café provider - but its all sorted now. Regards, Kathleen
Written April 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tris1976
Birmingham, UK485 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
If you love a wildlife park (and who doesn't), Curraghs is a lovely place to head to - whether you are a family or couple.

There is a vast array of animals here - penguins, pelicans, owls, parrots, flamingos, monkeys, coati, lynx, fishing cat, rhea, peafowl, meerkat, rhea, otters, lemur and more.

This will give you a whole day out with plenty to do - there is a cafe there or you can take a picnic.

You can also read up on the situation surrounding each species and the conservation efforts being undertaken to improve their welfare.

Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Tris, Thanks you for the visit and the review. We take ÂŁ1 on each gate fee as a voluntary donation (you can opt out if you state you wish to) for our conservation fund. Many of our species are linked to effective conservation projects in the wild. In recent years we have helped Red Panda Network, Javan primate conservation project (Silvery Gibbons), Spenisco (helping Humboldt penguins is Chile and Peru) and the AEECL ( lemurs in Madagascar). So thanks you for your visit, its makes a difference to saving species in the wild too! Regards, Kathleen
Written August 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sue M
72 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Friends
Lovely place - we'll laid out, maybe not huge, but nevertheless a great selection of animals in enclosures that allowed you a great view. Excellent value. We had a an amazing day - and I have to say this was thanks to the staff and volunteers there! Without exception, every single one we spoke to was helpful, friendly, informative and so pleasant! It was already a great day - they made it better! Would highly recommend this animal Park and will definitely go again.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Sue, Thanks for your review. We have a great team including some wonderful volunteers, definitely agree they make a difference! Regards, Kathleen
Written April 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alan S
Leeds, UK61 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
Small animal wildlife park, the only one on the island but with some interesting species. Loved the pelican, the kookaburra, the flamingoes, and of course the red pandas. We had a snack in the onsite cafe and spent an afternoon wandering around... Bought a red panda as a momento
Written April 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TERRY B
Onchan, UK45 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Visited today with grandchildren and their parents. Only the second time in 5 years I've been since coming to the island.

Whilst the weather was disappointing this was not the reason for the rating. The park felt scruffy and unloved. The animals and birds were in poor quality enclosure and often sitting or laying down alone . They looked like the inpatients in One flew over the cuckoo's nest.

The 4 adults in our party noted this (as did the 13-year old) and came away with the intention of never returning.

The only bright spots in the day were the miniature railway and the children's activity areas

Never again
Written August 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Terry, There have been a lot of developments at the Park and some enclosures are new and definitely not of poor quality. However there is more work to do and more improvements to come, so we have a rolling plan of improvements. We are always happy to have the community engaging in projects here . It means we can contribute to conservation breeding programs and as an EAZA zoo we also contribute to protection of species and habitats in the wild. An animal laying down may be just relaxing, and just because you only spot one does not mean that animal is alone, you just haven't spotted the others or in the case of some of our species like the fishing cat they like to be alone. We have high standards of welfare here, so your comment about inpatients is subjective and reflects how you had already decided to interpret animal behaviors. Did you attend any of the feed talks? Staff and volunteers here are happy to chat and explain anything you want to know about the animals. We are quite a big Park for a small island and community involvement makes the Park better, we have many passionate people who work hard to improve the park for our island, many are volunteers. So never say never why not come back and lend a hand? Regards, Kathleen
Written September 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Familythree123
Great Malvern, UK53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Brilliant for families. Loads to do and see here. We visited on a Thursday so the train was running and they were having a family fun day. As well as seeing the animals, there are two excellent playgrounds, a jumping pillow and a soft play area. The fun day also meant there was a bouncy castle, bucking bronco and colouring set up. We were there all day. Restaurant smallish so you may need to wait for a table if you turn up a peak time.
Written August 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank You Helen! Glad you had a great day! Regards, Kathleen
Written August 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

exmoor-rover
Burnham-On-Sea, UK34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
This is a lovely little and well laid out wildlife park. My wife and I spent nearly 5 hours in the park on our recent visit to the Isle of Man. Also, the Mangrove Café was clean and offered a good choice of food. We found the Curragh Nature Trail particularly interesting and were lucky enough to spot two of the elusive wallabies along this trail! We visited the park on a particularly rainy day, so it would have been nice to have had a few shelters dotted around the place to stay dry, especially in the far corners of the park. Furthermore, it would probably be nice to include a few Manx Loaghtan sheep (and perhaps some Manx cats?) in the park – we were hoping to see both of these elsewhere on the island, but we weren’t lucky enough!
Written November 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks Exmoor- rover! Really glad you enjoyed your day with us. Feedback noted. We concentrate on endangered species from around the world and as Zoo association members (EAZA &BIAZA) we co-ordinated in breeding programs with 100s of other member zoos. Manx cats aren't really a species or breed, they are a genetic mutation that leads to missing vertebrae, which can actually cause some to have life long health problems, so we would never keep them....however if you want to see Manx cats then Mann Cat sanctuary is the place to head, and for Loaghtan sheep I would recommend heading to The National Folk Museum at Cregneash. If you didn't make either of these places this time then maybe next time you visit! Regards, Kathleen
Written December 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ibrahim G
Huddersfield, UK201 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
Travelled here on the bus from Douglas. I was a bit anxious to make sure I got off at the correct stop but no need to have been as its a dedicated off road stop. The site is well set out, saw plenty of animals and an orchid. The cafe area is fine with the chips being the best we had during the visit to the island. There are 2 sets of toilets, one at the cafe and the other near the trains.
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your visit Ibrahim, and thank you for the review!
Written July 6, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Claire H
Pontypridd, UK61 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
This place was amazing! Went for the Manx GP as you can watch the racing from the car park, but went early so we could go int the park first. Spent hours in there, which for ÂŁ12.50 we didn't expect to do. Huge variety of animals which were all very looked after. One thing - the wallabies are not actually on the park but on a walking trail. We saw quite a few but are hard to find. The on site restaurant is amazing! Ed and the girls were lovely and the food amazing - all home cooked and reasonably priced.
Written August 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi cehooper! Thank you for your visit, it often does surprise visitors we are a large and spaced out Wildlife Park, and often bigger than people expected for a small island. We also do our bit as a member zoo for conservation, not just of species in our care but raise funding for projects in the Wild. Regards, Kathleen
Written December 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Curraghs Wildlife Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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