Fota Island - Fota Wildlife Park

Fota Wildlife Park

Opened in 1983 by the President of Ireland, Dr Patrick Hillery, Fota Wildlife Park has the primary aim of conservation of global wildlife. It is a joint project of the Zoological Society of Ireland and University College Cork.

Fota Wildlife Park has more than 70 species of exotic wildlife in open natural surroundings. The animals who live there include ostriches, giraffes, kangaroos, zebras and antelope. Just about all of the animals who inhabit the island are allowed to roam throughout more than 202,000 square metres (50 acres) of mature grassland, with the exception of the cheetahs and other predators, which have strongly fenced enclosures.

Many of the animals at Fota are under serious threat of extinction. The cheetah is an example of this. There are only 12,000 cheetahs in their natural habitat. Fota Wildlife Park is one of the breeders worldwide for this endangered species, as well as being a source of many other zoo animals around the world.

Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Capybaras (the largest rodent in the world) and other animals are free to roam around the park.

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