8 December 2025
11 animals to look out for at London Zoo this Christmas
London Zoo is bursting with Christmas magic - right up until 4 January! There's festive fun for the whole family, from Christmas crafts and a hidden elves trail, to elf-led storytelling sessions, plus over 8,000 animals to discover. Here's who to look out for on your seasonal visit.
It's penguin-ing to look a lot like Christmas
You'll find your feathery favourites, our colony of inquisitive Humboldt penguins, in England's largest penguin pool! Watch these charismatic birds waddling around their Penguin Beach home or porpoising through the pool - we've got stunning underwater viewing areas, including our insta-worthy Penguin bubble. And don't miss our Bah Humboldt! penguin talk this December to learn more about their unique behaviours and our conservation efforts to protect them in the wild.
Our penguins eat a lot of fish! And you can make their Christmas extra special by donating the cost of a festive feast, complete with a calamari starter and crunchy crustaceans for dessert. As a thank you for your donation, we'll email you a printable certificate, so it's also a great last-minute gift idea that gives back.
Away in a Mane-ger
This is very apt, because lions can sleep for up to 20 hours a day! So don't be surprised if our Asiatic lions are snuggled up on their heated rocks when you visit - this actually gives you the best chance to get as close as possible to them, as they're right up against the viewing window.
Ever wanted to sleep over at the Zoo? Well you can, with a stay in our lodges where you'll sleep just meters away from our incredible pride and discover what happens after dark with exclusive after-hours tours. Plus, there's nothing quite like the sound of Bhanu's roar to wake you up in the morning!
Remember, with a Gold Membership, recipients can enjoy 10% off our Zoo experiences.
Our Asiatic lion family are part of a vital conservation breeding programme for the Endangered species, and we're also working to protect these lions in the wild. Thanks to the conservation efforts by organisations like ZSL, and the tireless work of local partners and governments, the population of Asiatic lions is increasing, which is a conservation success to celebrate.
Let it slow, let it slow, let it slow
Sloths are one of our most unusual and endearing animals. They're also the world’s slowest mammal, yet they’re not as lazy as you might think - sloths sleep for around 15 hours a day while, as we said, a lion can nap up to 20 hours. And when sloths want to move, they can really move! It's a truly captivating experience to see them climbing across the branches right in front of you in our immersive Rainforest Life* habitat.
In this tropical walk-through, the sloths can go wherever they want to - Leander, our male sloth, is often snuggled up sleeping right above your head. In contrast, the sloths share their home with monkeys who are much more active and will keep you on your toes as they jump around you. And if you're looking to upgrade your day, you can book a Meet the Monkeys experience and feed them their favourite snacks - dates are currently available from January through to April, and you can buy this experience as a gift voucher too.
*Visit Rainforest Life this Christmas before the habitat closes for refurbishment from 6 January - 31 January 2026.
Santa Claws, or paws?
These little cuties are Asian short-clawed otters. And, as their name suggests, they have really short claws compared with other otters, which makes their paws more dexterous, so they can feel for food in muddy banks - a really useful tool in their freshwater wetland and mangrove habitats.
At London Zoo, we're home to a family of Asian short-clawed otters and we've got some exciting news to share - they've just welcomed more pups! The pups have been staying nice and cosy in their nesting box, but you may be lucky enough to spot them venturing outside on your festive visit as they become more curious about their surroundings - listen out for the squeaks!
With a Zoo membership, you can watch our Zoo babies grow up and visit them as often as you like for a whole year! And even better, our Gift Memberships are now 20% off until 5 January 2026, so you can share the joy with loved ones this Christmas.
Merry Hiss-mas
We're home to several slithering snake species, including the Endangered Ethiopian mountain adder (pictured), which can give birth to live young and have venomous fangs.
We think snakes are truly fascinating, and often misunderstood, which is why we built a new home for them in 2024. Our Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians is full of hidden creatures to spot and learn about, and it's one of many indoor areas to warm up in on your winter visit.
Our former Reptile House has been transformed into a brand new indoor role play adventure, ZooTown. It's a must-do if you're visiting with young children, so make sure you book your tickets online in advance to guarantee your slot - but don't forget to book your Zoo tickets too!
Have a very Capy Christmas
Our chilled out capybaras, Gizmo and Kiwi, have moved into a brand new spa-inspired home and are ready to welcome visitors to their pad, so be sure to go and say hello.
With a climate-controlled indoor zone to relax in, and not one, but two pools - including a balmy heated bathing pool - the pampered pair are all settled in, and there's fantastic viewing areas for you to see them. You'll find the brother-sister duo next to ZooTown.
Our capybaras have been a big hit at the Zoo, and we know that the species has become a viral sensation around the world. Here's a roundup of our favourite, responsible, things you can do to share your love for them:
Seasons tweetings
We may not have any turtle doves at the Zoo, we do have Socorro doves. And they're extremely special.
Socorro doves are Extinct-in-the-Wild, existing only under expert human care. At London Zoo, we're a conservation Zoo, and we're playing a vital role in bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. We're part of an international breeding programme, which aims to boost numbers of the precious birds so that they can ultimately be reintroduced to their native habitat.
You can watch our Socorro doves, alongside other exotic birds, flying freely overhead in our tropical bird walk-through this Christmas.
Oh Camel ye faithful
Gentle, quirky, and a traditional feature in a nativity scene, London Zoo is home to camels Noemie and Genghis. The duo are actually domestic Bactrian camels with two humps, rather than the dromedary (one-humped) camels you'd expect in the Christmas story, and are important ambassador species for their critically endangered ‘cousins’ in Mongolia and China.
And don't forget to visit our falalala llamas and alpacas too - you'll find them in our Animal Adventure area of the Zoo, home to our children's play park. Here, kids can go on a journey of discovery with a child-sized hot air balloon to explore, plus slides, ladders and swinging bridges. And there are lots more animals to discover here too.
Christmas corals
Believe it or not, corals are animals! They might look like rocks or plants, but they are actually living, moving, feeding invertebrates, and they're truly spectacular to see.
Our Tiny Giants area of the Zoo is home to schools of reef fish swimming through a forest of corals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, including the festively named Candycane coral. This can be found in a variety of colours due to algae (known as ‘zooxanthellae’) which live within their tissue. These algae photosynthesise and pass most of the food they make to the corals themselves, and in return, the corals provide a safe shelter for them to thrive. It's a perfect partnership!
Tiny Giants is just one of many indoor, heated areas of the Zoo - perfect to warm up in on a chilly day.
Feline festive yet?
Meet the rarest tigers on earth, Sumatran tigers, in our Tiger Territory habitat. It's truly an awe-inspiring experience to see one of the world’s most iconic and endangered animals up close, knowing that by visiting them, you're helping to support our vital conservation work to protect tigers in the wild.
If you love tigers, you also have the chance to go behind-the-scenes as a VIP Tiger Keeper, available to book online. In this extra special experience, join our team to discover what it's like to be a zookeeper looking after these regal predators. Create enrichment, do some cleaning, see our keepers training, and learn about our work with tigers both within the Zoo and out in the wild.
Neck the halls with our giraffes
No Zoo visit is complete without stopping to see our tower of giraffes. They share their home with our zebras and ostriches in a multi-habitat, which is really special to see. But if it's a bit chilly and they're not outside, you can marvel at their height from the indoor viewing area in the Giraffe House - the only Victorian building at London Zoo that’s still used for its original purpose!
Want to add some extra sparkle to your visit? Book onto an unforgettable giraffe encounter! Step into the world of our gentle giraffes and learn all about their towering adaptations, discover their individual personalities, and even help with a recall training session using positive reinforcement.
Gift voucher options are also available if you're looking for a unique Christmas gift idea for an animal lover.