The habitat is designed to take customers on a journey into the world of butterflies
The Welsh Mountain Zoo has opened the doors to an exciting new area of the popular Colwyn Bay attraction. The zoo is now welcoming visitors to the Papillo Forest, which staff have described as “the zoo’s most ambitious development since 2021”.
This new area of the zoo is an interactive habitat dedicated to butterfly conservation, where visitors can walk among the beautiful creatures that live in the enclosure. Papillo Forest, which is named after the Latin word for ‘butterfly’, is an indoor habitat showcasing the incredible diversity and life cycle of tropical butterflies.
The habitat is designed to take customers on a journey into the world of butterflies, in an experience designed to replicate the natural habitats of the tropical species, offering a first-hand glimpse into their behaviour and beauty.
The habitat has been developed under a six-month construction programme, transforming a disused building into a new space, marking the first in a series of new developments for the zoo.
The enclosure is divided into three spaces. Upon entry, the first is a “tropical and lush” environment filled with an array of butterflies.
Visitors can witness the evolution of butterflies, from egg, caterpillar and pupa to adult. The journey continues into the reptile house – home to snakes, chameleons, spider tortoises, tarantula and more.
Phase three remains under construction and will become the new lemur enclosure, representing the wider Madagascan landscape.
The project has been built and crafted largely using the zoo’s experienced in-house team, including construction, landscape and gardening.
Materials have been reclaimed from across the site, including fallen trees, and used to help create the rich forest environment.
Chris Mitchell, chief executive officer of Welsh Mountain Zoo said: “It’s wonderful to see Papillo Forest ready to welcome visitors through the doors. It’s been an exciting development on many levels and brings something very different to the zoo, lovingly crafted by our incredibly skilled in-house team.
“The zoo is set to embark on an ambitious development programme this year, and the coming years, all of which will be designed to both enhance visitor experience and share vital conservation messages and learning.
“The world of butterflies is a fascinating one and Papillo Forest will help visitors own a cleaner understanding of butterflies’ critical roles in pollination and ecosystems, as well as the environmental challenges they face due to climate change and habitat loss. Our goal is to create enriching environments that celebrate wildlife while inspiring action.
“Papillo Forest is a testament to our mission of sparking a passion for nature with every unforgettable visit.”
The Welsh Mountain Zoo is open 10am until 6pm every day.
Schools are out for summer across Merseyside which means parents throughout our region will be searching for fun ways to fill the days – without breaking the bank.
Luckily there are plenty of activities taking place in Liverpool and beyond, from museum fun days to open air cinema screenings, late night zoo events and much more.
Lots of families know how quickly the cost of summer holiday activities can add up – but thankfully there are lots of free family fun days around Liverpool to get involved in. Others are charged on a ‘pay what you can’ basis, while other activities have special ticket prices for families.
We’ve rounded up some of the best events and activities taking place during the school holidays across Merseyside and within driving distance of our region in a handy guide, which you can read here.
