Whipsnade Zoo
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Former main entrance to Whipsnade Zoo, closed in 2015
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| Date opened | 1931 |
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| Location | Whipsnade, near Dunstable, England |
| Coordinates | 51°50′59″N 000°32′39″W / 51.84972°N 0.54417°WCoordinates: 51°50′59″N 000°32′39″W / 51.84972°N 0.54417°W |
| Land area | 600 acres (2.4 km2) |
| No. of animals | 2,705 (2012) |
| Memberships | BIAZA,EAZA,WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Lions of the Serengeti, In with the Lemurs |
| Website | www |
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, formerly known as Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, is a zoo and safari park located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of two zoos (the other being ZSL London Zoo in Regent's Park, London) that are owned by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats.
The park covers 600 acres (2.4 km2), and can be located from miles to the north and from the air because of the Whipsnade White Lion, a large hill figure carved into the side of the Dunstable Downs (part of the Chiltern Hills) below the white rhino enclosure.
Due to its size, inside the park, visitors may walk, use the zoo's bus service, or drive their own cars between the various animal enclosures, or through an 'Asian' area where some animals are allowed to roam free around the cars. There is also a train service, the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Great Whipsnade Railway, also known as the "Jumbo Express."
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is one of Europe's largest wildlife conservation parks. It is home to 2,955 animals, many of which are endangered in the wild. The majority of the animals are kept within sizeable enclosures; others, such as Peafowl, Patagonian Maras, and Red-necked Wallabies, roam freely around the park.
The Zoological Society of London was founded in 1826 by Sir Stamford Raffles with the aim of promoting the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. To this end ZSL London Zoo in Regents Park, London was established.
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