Much-loved zoo with 900 animals closed forever after 29 years

Much-loved zoo with 900 animals closed forever after 29 yearsIt was once a beloved family destination home to around 900 birds and mammals - here is what became of the site after its planned closure in 2002 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Emily Malia 07:00, Tue, Jun 2, 2026 The zoo was open for 29 years (Image: Facebook)It was once a destination where families would spend the day meeting animals from across the globe, but what was formerly a cherished zoo has now been transformed into a residential development. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) Spanning 11.4 acres in Surrey, it was previously a family-orientated zoo which housed approximately 900 birds and mammals before it sadly shut its doors. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy PolicyGatwick Zoo in Charlwood welcomed visitors from 1973 through to September 2002 and held a special place in many hearts, with countless people having spent their childhoods there and created memories with family members.What began as a pastime evolved into a thriving business for proprietors Terry and Sheila Thorpe across three decades before they opted to shut the zoo to facilitate their...