Agree with zoefruitcake, Dudley Zoo does a good job housing and caring for the animals, but the pleasure of viewing them might be tempered with the uneasy feeling that it's not really in the animals' interests. Some of the big, intelligent creatures that should be used to huge territories, land based and sky-ward with complex sensory experience, might appear cramped. The tiger was pacing. The orang-outangs have a smallish compound backed by a peeling brick wall (and a continuous electronic clicking from their electric fence, which was annoying me after 5 minutes - they live there forever). The leopards are caged, (albeit in a tall metal space with platforms at seemingly impossible heights for them to lounge on). A new snow leopard is being acclimatised in a small adjacent room. This animal is absolutely stunning - beautiful mottled coat, fluffy feet, really handsome face and a tail as long as its own body. Again it might highlight the conflict between the personal pleasure of seeing it so closely contrasting with its confinement in a relatively cramped area. Other animals seem well located. The lemurs have a wonderful, unfenced walk through park, 'Lemur Wood', where they can roam about and climb trees as they wish - they will come right up to you, completeley unafraid - beautiful creatures, with plenty of space, scope and fellow lemur pals to flourish. In the 'MonkeyTails' house, you can meander through a mini jungle populated by a selection of smaller monkeys, foraging, running and jumping through the vegetation around you. A family of noisy Asian otters inhabits a separated compound within the house. They too are fascinating to watch, lively, alert and playful, snickering between themsleves in a continuous self-supporting banter, seemingly content. The georgeous African hunting dogs have quite a large range to run around in and they too have a well knit pack, which seems self supporting and gives the impression of reasonable contentedness. The meerkats display all the amazing cuteness seen on TV ; one or two standing guard, watching the open skies with relentless concentration, making little squeaky reassurances to the others left to forage and play. They are so close across the low walled compound, you feel you could almost touch them (obviously not). The chimpanzies have a large out-door enclosure along with a big indoor house where they can climb to the rafters, out of each others way. Whether this is enough for creatures so intelligent and human-like is not clear - they wouldn't talk to me. If it were down to me, I would reduce the range of animals and expand the enclosures more in keeping with their inhabitants' natures. However, skipping past the underlying thoughts, Dudley Zoo is a great day out for all ages, a full day, healthy walking up and around the nicely hilly park. Plenty of seats and picnic tables to rest and relax. Good cafe facilities for food and drinks if you didn't pack your own. There are spotlessly clean toilets available too (should be pretty good - if they can keep the chimps house clean, then the gents should be a doddle). As a bonus, crowning the park is the magnificent Dudley Castle. Though included in the Dudley Zoo entrance fee, it almost seems right to review seperately (you might for instance, completely object to zoos but love ancient historical monuments - in this case, you could always keep your eyes shut until you reached the Castle grounds!). If interested, see seperate Dudley Castle review. Getting there by train, arriving at Dudley Port station, is not ideal - approx 3 miles to the Zoo and up hill all the way. (And be very careful who you ask for directions. Take double extra care if whoever you're asking is getting on a bit as well - right and left is bound to be a bit confusing for them. You too could end up pedalling three and a half miles in completely the wrong direction onto the Black Country spine road before realising you were about to visit West Bromwich instead of Dudley Zoo!) Bus number 74 will take you to Castle Gate stop from the rail station. Plenty of trains from New Street, every half hour. Cars do seem more easily accommodated, with large pay and display parking facilities on site. Highly recommended for a great day out or at the very least to stimulate thoughts about the animals - never know, might be an inspirational experience. read more

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Dudley zoo also incorporates a castle. All the animals seem to be kept in good conditions with caring staff. However some enclosures seem slightly old, could be bigger and in some cases were empty. For the cost of £11 each per entry per adult I feel that the amount is far to much considering the West Midlands Safari Park is this price for wild animals. It would be a good place for younger children but anyone above 7/8 I feel would not appreciate Dudley Zoo. read more

The Zoo is a nice place. The only thing I would say is that it could be better value (and could do with a couple more shelters about the place because it's very open). There are lots of animals. They have talks at some feeding times such as the seals and penguins and there is a day time ghost walk. These are all included in the price. My favourite part is walking through the Lemur Woods where you can get in with the lemurs. I would recommend going in the summer rather than winter and would also recommend taking a picnic because there are two places to eat and I wouldn't really reccommend either of them. There is a cafe but I wouldn't even have a drink in there because it doesn't seem very well-kept and there is a hotdog stand where, although they are clean and friendly, they are a little expensive. The price of entry to the zoo also includes the castle so, I guess, this is how they might justify the price. i.e. there are two attractions on the one site. There is a lot of history in the castle and they have displays in there. Sometimes, there are also tours. The whole thing is a good family day out. It's also easy to get to being more or less over the road from Dudley's town centre. read more

I have been visiting this zoo for many years and it has only got better. The amount of large animals may have decreased in recent years, but those that are left are well looked after. There are a good range of lemurs and monkeys held in the zoo collection with the lemur wood is a highlight of the visit as you can walk through right up close to the animals. There are a number of animal activites, such as penguin feeding time which you can incorporate into your visit to add to the fun, but there is a lot of information around by the animals if you can't. In the middle of the zoo there is the castle which if open, has an interesting display all about the history of the castle before the zoo was there, going back through Elizabethan times to Norman times when the castle was first established. On occasion, there are ghost tours operating, which are good fun and interesting, although they aren't recommended for those of a nervous disposition!! read more

As a rule I don't really agree with zoos, so that will probably cloud my views. This is in an attractive setting, and the few animals that there are seemed very happy. Saw a huge owl, and the meercats were absolutely wonderful! Could stand watching the little critters for hours, and don't even get me started on the baby meercats ;0) Found the castle more interesting than the animals, to be honest, but I should imagine children would enjoy both read more

I love this zoo, its ideal location in dudley is easy to find and well signposted. The zoo has a good selection of animals and the castle and grass area is ideal for picnics and for young children to have a run around. They have a lovely store where you can purchase gifts and its reasonable priced in there too. I think Dudley zoo is a lovely day out for the whole family read more

great place for seing some rare animals and others to would recommend going round to see them twice as feeding times you see more make shore you go alround the zoo they have place to eat and for younger kids rides to not big rides thou and castle with pub and gift shop read more

Dudley Register Office - Public Services & Government Near Me - Dudley, DUD

Dudley Zoo is very basic, the lack of funding means that it is slowly falling into disrepair and this is evident at various points around the park. It is however kept tidy, the animals obviously healthy and clean. They seem to rely mainly on the public for donations and althouth this place can make for a good afternoon out, be prepared for a lot of uphill walking read more

I've been here too many times to mention. They do birthday parties for kids which are good fun as they get to feed the animals. There's face painting in the school holidays. For the adults there's ghost tours in the castle - I think Most Haunted did one of their first investigations here. It's 2 minutes walk from the bus station. You need 3 or 4 hours to look round. Have fun! read more

It is a nice day out for a family with kids. They have a wide variety of animals, and it's pushchair friendly in most of the park. There are some fairground rides there aswell. There are places you can eat aswell. they have a lovely giftshop too. read more

This is a wonderful zoo. Very well spaced out, lovely animals. Great gift shop, lovely rides for the children. A train that goes up to the top of the zoo and a lovely restaurant that was reasonably priced. Had a lovely day there. read more

My kids love this place, we used to go twice a month. Shame that the tiger is sleeping every time we come. Would recommend this place to everyone, this place is must. read more

its a lovely castle shame its now a ruin the place has so much history the view point from the top of the castle is stunning and can be seen around for miles of the area over looking tree tops the grounds are charming and the castle has plently of ghostly history including a grey lady read more

we found the zoo to be a lovely day out for all,we go all year round.a clean zoo with very helpful staff.there is so much to see from birds to snakes,lions they try to put many things on for the children. read more

Bit pricey considering you hardly get to see any of the animals and when you do they all look tired and dull. Cafe isn't very good, feels like your on a school trip/in a school dinner hall. Very steep uphill around. Not much to see. Best part is the monkey area. Fair is very dated. read more

Worth taking the children for a day out - plenty to see and do. Make sure you're there at feeding times. There don't seem to be as many animals these days but they look well cared for. The castle is quite mysterious - it's a super venue for the odd plays etc. that they have there. read more

Not much to do there and rather dirty and messy. I can't really think of much else to say!

a place on the up. the animals that lokked cramped have all been removed and condition are much fairer now. went to a birthday party it was very reasonable rates, children had a hands on animal experience and they had a moderate kiddie buffet, games and were entertained by staff, each got their face painted and was allowed free access to the zoo. wow read more

this is a great zoo i have been here many times my children love it. they have got lots of animals to view and the castle is nice to explore and if you go up the winding stairs in the castle the view is nice a bit scary tho if your afraid of hieghts lol. there is a restaurant to eat and drink and if you get tired you can catch the train which takes you up and down the steepy hill and the train is free. the chair lift is great which also takes you to the top but its very high and scary. and down the bottom there is a fair for the kids and a a pretty good park i just hate the sand when it gets in your shoes lol. but its a great family day out i would recommend to anyone read more