06/02/2026
😍Exciting transition and just a walk away !
Exciting news! On 14th February Filey Bird Garden & Animal Park will reopen as Filey Zoo!
So, what is a zoo? Zoos are defined as places that display ‘wild’ (non-domesticated) animals to the public for more than 7 days per year, and as such are required to have a license. Zoos are regularly inspected by council and veterinary teams to ensure all their animals are cared for to a high standard.
We have decided to change our name as we feel it more accurately reflects what the collection is now. When we opened in 2008 - Filey Bird Garden & Animal Park described exactly what we were - a variety of domestic mammals, aviary birds set in gardens, and wildlife areas (approximately 30 different species). To allow us to continue to develop the park we required a zoo licence, which was granted in 2017, and meant we could start displaying more exotic animals. Since then, we have added to the collection and now have over 75 species, ranging from meerkats and lemurs to snakes and lizards - including endangered species which are at high risk of extinction in the wild.
Having regularly heard visitors saying they hadn’t expected to see as much here, and with lots of projects having been completed over the last few years and many more planned, we now feel it’s the right time to rebrand. Hopefully changing the name to Filey Zoo is much clearer and will help attract more visitors to enjoy a fun and educational day out on the stunning Yorkshire coast.
With lots of uncertainty in the media around zoos reporting reduced visitor numbers we are thankful and encouraged that since opening we’ve seen an increase in visitor numbers each year. We are hugely proud of what we have achieved and couldn’t have done this without the support of our staff and visitors. Don’t worry, we’re still the same family run attraction our visitors know and love, and only positive things will come with the name-change.
With your continued support we will make Filey Zoo even better for our animals and visitors.
