Any RZSS member with confirmation of membership is welcome to visit Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park without booking in advance.
Do you have to book to see pandas at Edinburgh Zoo?
Visiting the pandas
You do not need to book a separate panda viewing time slot in addition to your zoo admission tickets – though you may have to queue as this pair are very popular!
How long does it take to look around Edinburgh Zoo?
around 4 hours
Visitors can stay at Edinburgh Zoo all day which is the duration of each entry ticket. However, most visitors spend around 4 hours at the zoo.
Do you have to pay to see the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo?
No, all included in the main entrance fee. Check on the zoo website to see if you need to book a time slot to see them, we did not need to and stayed in the viewing area for as long as we wanted.
What is best time to visit Edinburgh Zoo?
The best time to visit Edinburgh Zoo is as soon as they open at 10 am. There are four advantages of starting early – the animals are most active early in the morning, the temperatures are still moderate, the crowd is yet to get in, and you have the whole day to explore.
Can you just turn up at Edinburgh Zoo?
Do members have to book in advance? RZSS members and their accompanied guests no longer have to book in advance for visits to Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park. As usual, RZSS members must accompany guests who can pay for admission on the gate – please sign up for member emails for the latest updates.
Is parking free at Edinburgh Zoo?
Car parking
All car park users will need to take a ticket from the barriers on arrival and have this validated to exit the car park without paying full price (£10) at the machine. Find out more here.
Do they still do the penguin parade at Edinburgh Zoo?
The Penguin Parade
The keeper decided to see what would happen and it was followed by other penguins in single file to the front of the Zoo. The parade has continued to this day, run on an entirely voluntary basis.
Is the polar bear still at Edinburgh Zoo?
There are four polar bears here at Highland Wildlife Park – Walker, Arktos, Victoria and her cub, Brodie, who was born in December 2021. Walker was born in December 2008 and while Arktos was born in November 2007.
Does Edinburgh Zoo have an aquarium?
The reef tank in our Wee Beasties exhibit is home to a variety of marine animals. Coral reefs play an important part in the ocean ecosystem and support over 25% of all marine life on our planet.
How much is it to feed the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo?
Because of this long and wonderful history, our logo and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s crest feature a king penguin. Did you know it costs £130 a day to feed our penguin colony?
How much do Edinburgh pandas cost?
Why do you pay to have the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo and how much does it cost to take care of them? Caring for Tian Tian and Yang Guang, including their food and overall healthcare, costs our charity £35,000 each month. In addition, the agreement includes an annual payment of $1 million.
Are there tigers at Edinburgh Zoo?
We have two Sumatran tigers here at Edinburgh Zoo – a female named Dharma and a male called Lucu. Dharma was born in May 2017 and arrived in Edinburgh from Fota Wildlife Park in April 2019. Lucu was born in 2016 and arrived from Paignton Zoo in November 2020.
Is it better to go to the zoo in the morning or afternoon?
Visit the National Zoo early in the morning
If you want to see animals, we definitely recommend going at dawn or at dusk. Midday is hot and its when the animals take their naps. One good thing about visiting the National Zoo during the summer though is there are misters throughout the zoo that are super fun for kids.
How much is Edinburgh Zoo bus?
Lothian Buses operates a bus from Edinburgh, Princes Street to Corstorphine, Edinburgh Zoo every 10 minutes. Tickets cost £1 – £5 and the journey takes 16 min.
Are there koala bears in Edinburgh Zoo?
We are home to three Queensland koalas – Tanami, Inala and Kalari. They are the only Queensland koalas in the UK. You can help feed and care for our koalas and other threatened animals around the world by donating today – if you can, please support our Survival Fund.
Can you feed the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo?
The panda keeper experience allows visitors to meet one of the panda keepers and learn about the training with the pandas. Visitors may also have the chance to feed the pandas and they will receive drinks and canapes on the panda walkway.
Can you feed the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo?
“Over one hundred penguins live here at Penguin’s Rock in Edinburgh Zoo – we’re home to gentoo, king and rockhopper penguins. You may spot Kevin, our naughtiest penguin, who has a lifetime ban from the penguin parade for pecking at our visitors! It costs £165 a day to feed our penguin colony.
Does Edinburgh Zoo cull animals?
Other animals have been killed for the same reason at Edinburgh Zoo, but it is not known how often or how many. Species including Gentoo and King penguins, European otters, warthogs and several types of monkey are maintained under the same programme.
Do you need to wear a mask at Edinburgh Zoo?
Scottish government guidance means visitors are still being asked to wear masks in indoor areas and while most of the zoo is now open to visitors, our primate walkthroughs are closed because our lemurs and saki monkeys have an increased risk from Covid-19.
Are there gorillas at Edinburgh Zoo?
A hilarious clip from one Edinburgh Zoo visitor has shown the moment a local toddler got up close with one of the site’s gorillas. Posted on TikTok this week, the short video captured the interaction between the one-year-old boy and the animal on a family trip to the zoo.