Ask someone what they know about Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and they might mention the tigers. They may know about its huge collection of parrots – including a few that have become famous for their rather colourful language. For many local families, it is simply a much-loved place to spend the day.
Behind the visitor attraction, however, is a charity with a serious purpose.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is part of The Parrot Zoo Trust, a registered charity providing long-term care and sanctuary for parrots, exotic birds and other animals that need somewhere safe to live. More than 99% of the animals at the park have been rescued.
From one acre to a major animal sanctuary
The story began in the early 1990s, when founder Steve Nichols started helping parrot owners in Sheffield. As the need for specialist support grew, he began searching for a permanent home for the sanctuary.
After looking at more than 150 potential locations and travelling almost 10,000 miles, Steve found a one-acre plot of land in rural Lincolnshire. The site opened to the public in 2003 and has since grown to cover more than 20 acres. 
Today, the park is home to one of the UK’s largest collections of parrots, alongside Bengal tigers, big cats, reptiles, mammals and animals cared for through the National Turtle Sanctuary. Despite that growth, its original purpose has remained the same: to give animals in need a safe, secure and sustainable home.
Aleks’ second chance
One recent example of that purpose in action is Aleks, a male white tiger rescued from devastating conditions in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. When he was found, Aleks was dehydrated, exhausted and infested with parasites, with inflamed skin, bald patches and serious health concerns affecting his movement, gastrointestinal system, liver and kidneys.
After being evacuated from the war zone, Aleks made a 1,630-mile journey to Bengal Gardens at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park. The team reconstructed part of the site to give him clean, spacious pens where he could rest, recover and settle into safe long-term sanctuary.
The park is inviting supporters to help fund Aleks’ lifelong care through donations, fundraising, corporate volunteering and social media sharing. His story gives visitors and supporters a clear, current example of how the charity’s rescue work can transform an animal’s future.
Read more about the charity and its history.
Helping people understand the animals in its care
Education is a central part of the park’s work.
Species information boards link visitors directly to the IUCN Red List, helping them understand which animals are threatened 
and why conservation matters. Keeper talks, workshops, interactive displays and the park’s nature walk turn a family visit into an opportunity to learn.
The park works with schools across different age groups and key stages, offering tailored sessions that can include animal talks, enrichment workshops, worksheets and close-up experiences. It also supports higher education and works with the University of Lincoln on undergraduate and postgraduate research.
Research undertaken at the park has explored subjects including parrot cognition, the impact of restrictions on animal behaviour, turtle welfare and the care of turtles entering the National Turtle Sanctuary.
Find out more about the park’s conservation and research.
Conservation closer to home
The park’s conservation work is not limited to exotic species.
Across the site, the team has created spaces for native wildlife, including a bug hotel, bird and bat boxes and a nature reserve. Hundreds of trees have also been planted to support habitats and strengthen the local food chain.
Since 2022, the charity has been investing in a long-term sustainability programme. Its solar energy project includes 250 panels, helping the park reduce its carbon emissions and return surplus energy to the National Grid.
The aim is to make conservation feel relevant and achievable. Workshops, school visits, volunteering and community events all give people practical ways to take part and learn more about the natural world around them.
Opportunities to learn, contribute and connect
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park provides volunteering, work experience and internship opportunities for people at different stages of life.
Young people can gain practical experience and build their CVs, while others may volunteer because they are considering a change of career, want to develop a new interest or simply have time and skills to offer. Opportunities extend beyond animal care to gardening, maintenance, construction and conservation projects.
The park also offers corporate volunteering days, giving teams the chance to help with activities such as planting, improving habitats, maintaining enclosures and creating enrichment activities for the animals.
Explore volunteering and work experience opportunities.
Making the park easier to access
Being part of the community also means thinking about who can visit and how they get there.
The park provides disabled access, wheelchairs, free parking, concessions and family tickets. It is listed on Connect to Support Lincolnshire, helping more people find information about the park through a trusted local directory.
Visitors travelling by bus can also receive 10% off admission through Good Journey, helping to make car-free visits more affordable.
The warmth of the visitor experience is reflected in the park’s strong public reviews and its 2026 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice recognition, placing it among the platform’s top-rated attractions.
A wellbeing asset for people and place
Seen through a health and wellbeing lens, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park offers more than a day out. It creates opportunities for people to spend time in nature, learn something new, volunteer, connect with others and feel part of a shared local cause.
These experiences can support confidence, social connection, emotional wellbeing and a sense of purpose — all important parts of living well in the community. For young people, families, volunteers, older residents and people looking for accessible local activities, the park can act as a positive community space as well as a conservation charity. 
That connection matters because health and wellbeing are shaped not only by services, but by the places, relationships and opportunities available to people every day. By combining access to green space, education, volunteering and community participation, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park contributes to the wider conditions that help people and places thrive.
A charity people can experience for themselves
Support for the charity comes in many forms, from volunteers and visitors to patrons including Derren Brown and the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.
A day at the park, an animal adoption, a donation or one of its close-up experiences all help sustain its work. The Tiger Experience, for example, includes a behind-the-scenes talk with an experienced keeper and the opportunity to learn more about the care of the park’s Bengal tigers.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park brings together animal welfare, conservation, education, research, volunteering and a memorable day out. As an LVET member, it also brings something distinctive to the network: a reminder of how a charity can become part of the fabric of a place, creating opportunities for animals and people to thrive.
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