Our Exotic Animals in the UK

Our Axolotl is a type of Salamander. They don’t metamorph so don’t grow into adulthood, they stay looking young for the rest of their life. If they did, they would look like Tiger Salamanders but with spots instead of stripes.

These tough crocodiles have few natural predators so are amongst the top of the rainforest food chain.

Watch out! Adult crocs have the strongest bite ever measured… an enormous 16,460 Newtons of bite force. A Lion only has 1,314.7!

SHUT IT!

But, a croc’s muscles to open the jaw are weak so a human can use their bare hands to keep Crocodiles mouths shut.

Unusually, Marmosets are one of the only mammal species that almost always give birth to Twins!

Imagine living with 50 brothers and sisters! Meerkats live in huge family gangs in dusty burrows underground. Pop up into their burrow to get nose to nose with the family!

Macaws are good for the forest, they’re messy eaters and drop a lot of seed on the ground – spreading the seed throughout the forest, helping to grow new plants.

SAY HELLO

Parrots are extraordinarily intelligent birds, if you say hello, they might just say hello back!

Speedy, powerful jaws and super sharp teeth – the Red Bellied Piranha is simply terrifying. A hungry piranha in its habitat of rivers and mangroves will bite almost anything, including humans! But attacks from these colourful carnivores are rarely lethal. They’re efficient scavengers, feeding on wounded animals or other fish.

They live in groups called “schools” and a large school of piranha can be a moving menace!.

Oscar, our Green Iguana, is a large, herbivorous lizard – a species that originates from southern Brazil to Mexico. Growing up to 1.7 meters long, this arboreal species is also known as the American iguana and comes in various colors and types.

Clyde our Burmese Python is the 4th largest snake by weight or length. Unfortunately, he is also an invasive species in the Florida Everglades.

Our Leopard Cat Nala, has all the characteristics and looks of a deadly Leopard, but is only the size of a house cat. Definitely cute, but definitely deadly!

Haku, our Asian Water Monitor is a large lizard found in the wild near water in Asia. They are excellent swimmers, inhabiting rivers, swamps, and forests. Their diet includes fish, frogs, and small mammals, helping keep the environment clean by eating decaying flesh.

The Philippine Sailfin Lizard, has a sail-like crest on its tail and grows up to 3-4 feet long. Also known as Sailfin Dragons, they are excellent swimmers, that live near water and eat plants, fruits, insects, and crustaceans. Discover Phillis’ story on how she came to Plantasia Tropical Zoo on your next visit.

• Scorpion
• Giant African Land Snails
• Assassin Bugs
• Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
• Goliath Birdeater Tarantula
• Chilean & Red Knee Tarantulas
• Giant African Millipedes
• Poison Dart Frogs
• and more!

The Bearded Dragon has a throat beard that both males and females use differently: females display it to show aggression, while males use it to attract mates. Changing colours help regulate their body temperature.

The Lau Banded Iguana, adorned with short crests and white or blue bands, forages and basks during the day, retreating to treetops at night. As herbivores, they eat leaves, fruit, and flowers, using their long tails for balance while climbing.

Manyara Tilapia have short snouts and small eyes. Males turn pink when breeding. They are crucial to their ecosystem but face threats from overfishing and invasive species. They practice mouthbrooding, carrying eggs in their mouths until hatching.

The white-cheeked turaco stands out with its vibrant green feathers, white face, and red beak. Notably, its red feathers can turn water pink when stirred into it.

Red-eared sliders, slide from rocks into water. Commonly invasive in Europe, Australia, and India due to pet abandonment, their shells are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails and hair!

The Egyptian Tortoise, or Kleinmann’s Tortoise, is the second smallest tortoise species and faces extinction. Found in deserts, it eats plants but is threatened by capture for the pet trade. It is the smallest tortoise in the Northern Hemisphere.

Read all about our Egyptian Tortoise on our blog!

The Panther Chameleon is vibrant and can change colour to express emotions and defend its territory. Males are larger and more colourful. Their long tongues catch insects, and their eyes move independently for a 360-degree view.

The Rio Fuerte Beaded Lizard, has black and yellow bands. It primarily eats eggs and small animals. One of only two venomous lizards, its venom is used in medicine. It is protected due to its rarity.

The Crested Gecko was rediscovered in 1994 after being thought extinct. Measuring 8-10 inches long, it has hair-like projections above its eyes that look like eyelashes, and licks them clean. It can shed its tail to escape predators.