If you’re visiting Southern Ireland, make sure you give yourself a day (preferably a sunny one) to visit FOTA Wildlife Park, located on Carrigtwohill just 10km east of Cork City. It’s an unexpected surprise to find giraffes, zebras, and kangaroos in Ireland, and those are only a few of the species housed in this wildlife conservation park!
The History of FOTA Wildlife Park
FOTA Wildlife Park is a non-profit organization that opened in 1983. Plans for the park began in 1979 when the director of the Dublin Zoo, Dr. Terry Murphy, proclaimed that the zoo had reached its maximum size within Phoenix Park in Dublin and could not develop any further. He proposed that a conservation site should be opened with natural surroundings for its animals and no obtrusive fences or barriers. His plans were approved and a 70-acre area in the Fota Estate was chosen as the park’s location.
What to See at FOTA Wildlife Park
There are over 90 species of animals at FOTA Wildlife Park, ranging from a variety of apes and monkeys to flamingos, kangaroos, cheetahs, zebras, ostriches, bison, giraffes, pandas, and penguins. In addition to the wonderful array of animals you can see at FOTA, visitors have the opportunity to see most of them without the obstacle of fenced-in exhibits. This is the most spectacular aspect of FOTA, and is the reason you’ll want to spend a full day exploring the site.
Different species of monkeys are housed on different “islands” – pieces of land located at varying points on the park’s lake. Although this keeps them separated in terms of where they sleep and live, the monkeys often leave their islands and roam around the grounds of the park freely. On your visit to FOTA Wildlife Park, you can take a walk through the forested areas and look up to see beautiful South American Macaws in the trees. You can sit in the same field as the lounging kangaroos, and you are guaranteed to be pursued by at least one curious peacock, especially if you’re enjoying a snack. And that’s just the start of it.
Other Facilities Available at FOTA Wildlife Park
In addition to the park itself, FOTA has free playgrounds for children, a restaurant and gift shop on site, and picnic areas. They offer educational programmes of varying lengths for children of all ages, including special activity days and summer camps.
While you’re visiting, you can make use of the Awacachi Tour Train, or you can roam around at your own leisure. And don’t forget, feeding time happens twice a day for most animals – this is especially interesting at the cheetah exhibit, where a cheetah run has been recently set up. This helps to exercise the cheetahs by suspending their food on a line that moves at approx. 65km/h.
How to Get to FOTA Wildlife Park By Car and Train
It’s a quick journey from Cork City to Fota. If you’re travelling by car, take the N25 until Cobh Road (R22) – the entrance to Fota is just before Belvelly Bridge. It’s even quicker to travel by train – there is direct service from Cork to Fota that takes only 15 minutes and stops right outside the park’s main entrance.
Fore more information on FOTA Wildlife Park, its hours of operation, and admission fees, check out their website.
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