Amazon World Zoo Park

Amazon World Zoo Park sits on the edge of Sandown on the Isle of Wight. It began as a private bird collection before opening to the public all year round. The zoo now focuses on animals from the Amazon rainforest and South America. Giant anteaters, ocelots and capybaras share the grounds with rescue animals. Rescue cases include ex-pets, airport seizures and zoo transfers that could not be returned to the wild. The park plays a leading role in breeding programmes for hard-to-breed species. It has bred two-toed sloths successfully and supports international efforts for endangered birds like the Bali starling. The zoo also buys land in South America through the World Land Trust to protect habitats. Routine inspections by BIAZA and EAZA ensure high welfare standards. A notorious 2005 theft of a penguin chick drew national attention to the zoo’s security. Visitors follow paths past enclosures for meerkats, kinkajous and poison dart frogs. The rescue collection includes reptiles and birds once kept as pets. A large pond holds koi carp while wallabies graze nearby. Signs explain each animal’s story and the zoo’s conservation work. The site remains a place where rescued creatures live in improved conditions.