Fota Wildlife Park

Fota Wildlife Park occupies open parkland on an island in Cork Harbour and was built around the idea of keeping fences out of sight. Much of the collection lives in large paddocks separated by ditches and water, and in one walkthrough area ring-tailed lemurs and wallabies move freely among visitors on the paths. It opened in 1983 and has become known for breeding cheetahs, alongside giraffes, rhinos, bison and a range of monkeys. The train from Cork to Cobh stops beside the entrance, which makes it one of the few places of its kind you can reach easily without a car. Expect several kilometres of walking.

History

Fota Island was the home of the Smith-Barry family, descended from Normans who came to Ireland in the 12th century, whose lands shrank over time until only the island was left. The estate was sold to University College Cork in the 1970s, and the wildlife park opened in 1983 on 100 acres (Wikipedia, Fota Wildlife Park).

Highlights

• The free-roaming area - lemurs and wallabies loose on the visitor paths.
• The cheetah enclosure - the park's long-running breeding group.
• The open paddocks - giraffe, rhino and bison in large fenced-out ranges.
• The parkland setting - mature trees and water on a harbour island.

When to go

Late spring and summer for warm weather species being outdoors and for young animals, though those are also the busiest months. Weekday mornings are far quieter than weekend afternoons. The park is open all year with shorter winter hours. Book online in advance in high season, and note that the car park is charged separately from admission.

Practical notes

It is outdoors and mostly unsheltered, so a wet day is a wet visit, and some animals stay inside when the weather turns. Admission plus parking plus food adds up quickly for a family. The site is large and the amount of walking surprises people. Animals in the big paddocks can be a long way from the path.

Nearby

Cobh is a few minutes further along the line; Cork city is west.

Key facts