Dartmoor, Dartmoor Wildlife Park(Ben's Zoo) Review

Overall Rating

Dartmoor Wildlife Park has one of the best Tiger exhibits for viewing I have seen. No wire, no glass, just high walls and a hilly central area surrounded by a ditch. The Siberian tigers can be seen without any restriction at all - splendid for photography and spectating.
The Jaguar enclosure is slightly different with a moated viewing area and fenced compound. From the moated end, an unrestricted view is obtainable.

Great efforts are being made to re-pave pathways at the park, but there are some steep inclines making disabled access possible but 'energetic'.

Dartmoor Zoological Park is perhaps better known now throughout the UK as 'Ben's Zoo' following the BBC documentary series.
This is a Zoological Park and not a traditional zoo. Starting less than 18 months ago with a very run down venue in danger of being closed down by the Local Authority, Ben Mee (Zoo owner and Director) and his family and Zoo Staff have made herculean efforts to renovate, restore and build new animal accommodation since taking over the Park. There has been a huge amount of work undertaken at Sparkwell and the prospects for its future are really exciting.
Lions, Pumas, European brown Bears, Several, Birds of Prey, Small Primates, a Wolf Pack, and many others, together with the loudest Parrot in the UK!
There are plans for a Reptile House and a new Lynx enclosure is nearing completion. To reach DZP at Sparkwell Village you negotiate narrow Devon lanes. You do need to drive carefully through a 20mph village speed limit as the lanes in the village are single track.
Visitors walk approximately 400 yards from the car park up a moderately steep driveway to the main Park, passing exhibits on their way. If you find walking difficult, the Gate Staff will allow you to take your car to the smaller disabled parking area at the top of the driveway. The Jaguar Restaurant at Dartmoor Wildlife Park is the best Zoo/Wildlife Park restaurant facility we have yet to visit. The reasonably priced food, presented on real ceramic plates, is excellent and freshly cooked by extremely helpful staff. Sandwiches are freshly prepared and not pre-packed with plastic cheese!
Very Photographer friendly.
All of the Staff at DZP are friendly and very enthusiastic about their work.
DZP is likely to develop greatly over the next few years or so and I hope other Reviewers will update this text as it changes. I would recommend a visit to anyone who loves animals and is interested too in seeing something special growing from the old venue.