CELEBRATING 60 YEARS!
- 18th May 2023
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
We're celebrating a super special birthday as we reach our landmark 60th anniversary.
Over the years, we've grown to become one of Wales’ most loved tourist attractions welcoming an average 170,000 visitors a year to the picturesque site, that provides a home for over 80 species.
The story of the Zoo began in 1962 when Robert Jackson, his wife Margaret and their three sons, moved from their home in Cheshire to Colwyn Bay and, through the coldest winter in living memory, began building what he named the ‘Welsh Mountain Zoo and Botanic Gardens’. Robert Jackson, and the Mayor of Colwyn Bay officially opened the Welsh Mountain Zoo on 18th May 1963.
The Zoo has grown, diversified and evolved through the years, meeting major landmarks and officially became a charity in the 1980’s. Although the Jackson family gave up ownership of the private Zoo company, members of the family have since remain on the Charity’s board to this day.
Conservation of animals under threat has underpinned the direction and continues to be the focus of our Zoo.
Charlotte Dykes, Marketing Manager of the Welsh Mountain Zoo commented:
“This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Zoo on this very important birthday. The Zoo’s history and journey during the past three decades has been rich and varied and has seen the Zoo evolve operationally, whilst ensuring that conservation education remains at the heart of what we do.
“Today we employ a fantastic team of around 40 permanent staff, which swells to around 55 staff seasonally. We also have a large army of volunteers and together we are committed to upholding the Zoo’s vision and ethos whilst maintaining and developing the large grounds.
“The Zoo offers a wonderful resource for the local community whist driving tourism on a wider scale and plays an important role in the local economy. We have achieved so much through the years and have so many exciting plans ahead. Our 60th birthday marks a great opportunity to celebrate this wonderful institution and charity and recognise all that we have achieved, particularly in terms of animal welfare and conservation.”
We invite visitors to join the celebration of the diamond birthday weekend on 20th/21st May with 50% off admission tickets.
There are tonnes of fun activities taking place, including CircoArts Workshops, YouthShedz VR Van, Children's Storytelling, Legacy Animal Species Talks and a Gardens Walking Tour. Book online in advance to avoid disappointment.
We're open from 9.30am – 6pm over this weekend as normal.