Chester Zoo has today been named as the best rated zoo in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice ^TM awards for Zoos, announced by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*.

The Cheshire zoo, which is home to over 12,500 animals of over 450 species set in 125 acres of zoological gardens, is also named fourth best rated zoo in Europe and seventh in the world. It’s the second year in a row that the zoo has topped the UK list and appeared in both Europe’s and the world’s best.

Jamie Christon, managing director at Chester Zoo, said, “We’re thrilled that the public have named us as the UK’s best zoo for the second year running. 

“Every person that walks through our gates helps us to support hugely important worldwide conservation efforts which are working to protect endangered species and educate people about the threats that so many animals and plants face. As a charity, we rely on visitors to enable us to keep on carrying out more and more of this work, so our thanks go to all who come here and supported us.”

It’s celebrations all round for the UK this year as it’s revealed that Britain boasts more winning zoos than any other European country, with eight of Europe’s top 25. Chester Zoo in Chester, Colchester Zoo in Essex, Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire, Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo in South Wales, Paignton Zoo, Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey and Drusillas Park in East Sussex take fourth, sixth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth, seventeenth, nineteenth and twentieth respectively.

The UK also lays claim to three winners among the world’s top 25 – second only to the US, which boasts the most world winners with eight and tying with Australia which also claims three world winners.

Within the UK it’s the South that takes the lead with more TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for zoos than anywhere else in the country. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon, Drusillas Park in East Sussex and Axe Valley Wildlife Park in Devon take fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth in the UK respectively.

“These awards are based on the millions of reviews and opinions written by our global community of travellers and with the schools breaking up for summer in a matter of days, these winners should serve as great inspiration for a fantastic family day out,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson, James Kay.

San Diego Zoo in the United States earns the coveted position of number one zoo in the world.

The annual Travellers’ Choice awards for zoos are based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers across the globe. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for zoos worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.

10 best rated zoos in the UK

1. Chester Zoo, Chester, Cheshire

2. Colchester Zoo, Colchester, Essex

3. Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool, Lancashire

4. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Burford, Oxfordshire

5. Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, Begelly, South Wales

6. Paignton Zoo, Paignton, Devon

7. Durrell Wildlife Park, Trinity, Jersey

8. Drusillas Park, Berwick, East Sussex

9. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, Bedfordshire

10. Axe Valley Wildlife Park, Axminster, Devon

10 best rated zoos in Europe

1. Loro Parque, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain

2. Prague Zoo, Prague, Czech Republic

3. Tiergarten Schoenbrunn - Zoo Vienna, Vienna, Austria

4. Chester Zoo, Chester, United Kingdom

5. ZooParc de Beauval, Aignan, France

6. Colchester Zoo, Colchester, United Kingdom

7. Bioparc Valencia, Valencia, Spain

8. Zoologischer Garten (Berlin Zoo), Berlin, Germany

9. Novosibirsk Zoo, Novosibirsk, Russia

10. Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool, United Kingdom

10 best rated zoos in the world

1. San Diego Zoo, San Diego, United States

2. Loro Parque, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain

3. Singapore Zoo, Singapore

4. Prague Zoo, Prague, Czech Republic

5. Tiergarten Schoenbrunn – Zoo, Vienna, Austria

6. Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, United States

7. Chester Zoo, Chester, United Kingdom

8. St. Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, United States

9. Zoological Wildlife Foundation, Miami, United States

10. ZooParc de Beauval, Saint Aignan, France

For the complete list of winners from the 2015 Travellers’ Choice Zoos and Aquariums, as well as reviews and candid traveller photos, go to:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Attractions-cZoos