The Fenn Bell Conservation Project

The Fenn Bell Conservation Project Medway's first and only zoo, with an on site pub. Zoo Licence Holder: Andrew Cowell The truth, is that many people have helped and given there support.
(223)

Our story started in 2011 when I saw an advert on the internet to re-home two kune kune pigs. After taking on many more unwanted pets we decided in 2014 to open our doors to the public, and in the same year we took over the Fenn Bell pub and gardens, starting work on what it is you see today. To be able to open to the public we had to get a zoo licence and after a hard two years of work we were f

inally granted our zoo licence and we opened our doors in June 2017. People have said that we are crazy to take on such a big project, and to be fair, you had to be to achieve this. Without this help we could not achieve what we have. Our plans moving forward are quite ambitious, we want to work on more British conservation projects such as red squirrels and British honey bees. We will build an education centre that can be used by schools and university's, but most of all our duty is to give a home for life to the animals just like ginger and spice our kune kune pigs. I hope you enjoy coming here and don't hesitate stopping me or any of the staff, if you see any of us walking around for a chat. We are very blessed to be given a chance to create such a place as this and with your support we can continue to achieve so much more.

Looking for the perfect space? ✨Have a special day coming up and need the right venue to bring it all together?Get in to...
03/06/2026

Looking for the perfect space? ✨

Have a special day coming up and need the right venue to bring it all together?

Get in touch with our events team and let’s see what we can plan together to make your day work perfectly for you. 💚

Whether it’s a celebration, gathering, or something a little different, we’d love to help!

02/06/2026

That wingspan is impressive! 😍🪶

Our silvery-cheeked hornbill may not be the largest bird in the zoo, but when she spreads her wings, it's hard not to stop and stare.

Native to the forests of East Africa, these incredible birds can have a wingspan of over 1.5 metres, helping them glide through the treetops in search of fruit and insects.🌿

Have you been lucky enough to see her in flight?

You all decided: River and Rayne it is! 💚While we loved reading through all of your suggestions (with Fenn & Belle being...
01/06/2026

You all decided: River and Rayne it is! 💚

While we loved reading through all of your suggestions (with Fenn & Belle being a particular staff favourite! 😂), there was a lot of discussion behind the scenes to find the perfect pairing.

A huge thank you to everyone who got creative and submitted name ideas. We had so many fantastic suggestions, and we loved seeing how invested you all were in helping us choose.

Welcome, River and Rayne! 🐾🩷

It's the last day of half term, so we thought we'd share some of our favourite funny and cool moments from the week! 📸💚1...
31/05/2026

It's the last day of half term, so we thought we'd share some of our favourite funny and cool moments from the week! 📸💚

1. We added bats to the Tropical House – Livingstone's fruit bats to be exact! 🦇

2.A meerkat enjoying some enrichment.

3. Believe it or not... there's an otter in this picture! 👀

4. The butterflies in the Tropical House scared more people than the bats did! 🦋😂

5. Wallace, once again, proving he's a professional napper. 😴

6.A capuchin monkey that looks like it's trying to convince you to come a little closer...

7. Taz the bobcat showing off his flexibility and touching his toes! 🐾

8.More bat photos... just in case you missed them the first time. 🦇

9.Sammy the ruffed lemur doing what he does best – sunbathing. ☀️

10. And finally, a close-up of Nova, just because we know you'll love it. 🦥
Which photo is your favourite from this half term? Let us know below! 👇

To us, this might just look like a cardboard box with some branches sticking out of it, but to the lemurs it's a whole d...
30/05/2026

To us, this might just look like a cardboard box with some branches sticking out of it, but to the lemurs it's a whole day of enrichment and stimulation!

With willow branches poking through and treats hidden inside, it becomes something new to explore, climb on, investigate, and even tear apart.

It's a great reminder of just how important enrichment is for keeping animals active, engaged, and encouraging their natural behaviours. 🐾💚

Only 3 more days of half term left and it looks like the weather is finally starting to cool down a little… 🍃☀️If you fa...
29/05/2026

Only 3 more days of half term left and it looks like the weather is finally starting to cool down a little… 🍃☀️

If you fancy getting out this weekend, we’ll be here serving food all day and the animals have been loving the change in temperature too! 🐾🍔

Perfect weather for a wander around the zoo and a bite to eat afterwards.

Too sweet not to share! 🐾But we didn’t want to make it that easy for you… so here’s the game 👀Can you guess whose paw pr...
28/05/2026

Too sweet not to share! 🐾

But we didn’t want to make it that easy for you… so here’s the game 👀

Can you guess whose paw print this is?

Drop your guesses below ⬇️

27/05/2026

It’s World Otter Day! 🦦💚

To celebrate, please enjoy this video with some of our keepers explaining why otter conservation is so important, the threats they face in the wild, and some of the simple things we can all do to help protect them for the future. 🌍✨

From keeping our waterways clean to supporting conservation projects, even small changes can make a big difference for these incredible animals.

27/05/2026

It’s World Otter Day! 🦦

A whole day dedicated to one of the most playful, clever and water-loving animals around!

From floating around to showing off those impressive teeth, our otters definitely know how to steal the spotlight 💦

26/05/2026

After some finalising, we’ve picked two sets of names for you all to choose from… 🖤

✨ Opal & Onyx
or
🌧️ River & Rayne

Now it’s back over to you for the final decision!
😂LAUGH this post for Opal & Onyx
❤️ HEART this post for River & Rayne

The winning names will be announced on the 1st June, so make sure you get your votes in before then!

Address

Fenn Street, St Mary's Hoo
Kent
ME38RF

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Fenn Bell Conservation Project posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category