School trips to Chester Zoo will be free from November to February in a bid to encourage a new generation of conservationists.

With 1.9m visitors per year and more than 100,000 people taking part in organised educational trips, Chester Zoo’s ability to shape a generation of conservationists is significant.

Now, all schoolchildren visiting the zoo with their schools from November to February will visit for free.

Head of discovery and learning at the zoo Charlotte Smith said: “Conservation is critical and now is the time to act for wildlife. We won’t stand back. We know that visiting a zoo improves people’s understanding of biodiversity and the living world. We want to encourage as many schoolchildren through our gates as possible. It could be the key to protecting the living world around us.”

School groups are asked to pre-book, with a maximum capacity of bookings per day to avoid overcrowding and ensure every child and visitor is able to enjoy a world class experience. A range of post-visit learning resources for schools are also available at www.chesterzoo.org/education

Chester Zoo will make school visits free between November of this year to February 2018
Chester Zoo will make school visits free between November of this year to February 2018

Chester Zoo is both a conservation and an education charity with a remit to conserve the living world.

The planet is facing a crisis with large numbers of species under significant threat of extinction, including rhinos and elephants, frogs, birds and many more.

Even closer to home, there are widespread problems. The hedgehog appears to be declining in the UK at the same rate as tigers are globally, three bumblebee species have already gone extinct and one in five of Britain’s wildflowers is threatened with nationwide extinction.

An army of field conservationists from the zoo are fighting back, working with partners to deliver more than 80 vital projects in 30 countries worldwide, while at home in Cheshire the zoo is a world leader in breeding endangered species.

Yet the challenges facing the planet are so great that they require widespread public engagement if they are to be successfully overcome.

A recent scientific study, supported by the zoo and published, confirms that people have significantly better understanding of biodiversity and conservation after a visit to a zoo than before their visit.

Chester Zoo’s major Safari Ranger outreach programme already delivers free sessions to schools throughout the North West of England and North Wales.

Experts from the zoo also train community group leaders in habitat conservation, work with local field partners to protect endangered species and engage families and young people on site in Chester every day.