The Papanack Zoo
The Papanack Zoo
3
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.0
135 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
32
Average
12
Poor
9
Terrible
49
Gina B
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Family
Went with my family for a visit since we live an hour away. We were mostly disappointed with the quality of the « zoo ». The enclosures we’re filled with overgrown weeds and the quality of the water and feed we’re also questionable.
It was a 30+ degree day...no staff member was seen refilling the water bowls or tending to the animals
So sad, would not recommend supporting this place
Save your money and enjoy another outing
It was a 30+ degree day...no staff member was seen refilling the water bowls or tending to the animals
So sad, would not recommend supporting this place
Save your money and enjoy another outing
Written August 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lori
Ottawa, Canada1 contribution
Jun 2020
This is one of the worst zoo I have ever seen. The animals have little room to move around and everything is a mess. My husband and I where need the white wolf , he cough and the wolf jumped with fear. People please don’t support this zoo. The are making money from us but clearly not putting the money back into the zoo.I actually left the zoo because it was so upsetting. It was a extremely hot day , the animals had no water and some no shade . Some of the animals looked under weight .
This is 2020 and we need to take a stand and shut this place down
This is 2020 and we need to take a stand and shut this place down
Written June 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cate R
Ottawa, Canada7 contributions
Jul 2020
I took my children to the park July 14, 2020 and I was really impressed with the staff and the facilities. I had read the reviews and almost cancelled our visit but I`m so glad we went. It was a quiet day so I was able to speak with the staff, and found out that many of their animals are rescues. They had just got a young bear. It was just adjusting to the facilities and was crying when left alone so the staff were taking it home at night so it wouldn't be lonely. Staff were also in the middle of rebuilding big runs for some of the big animals so they were being temporary housed in smaller areas until the building is complete. My children enjoyed the bear safety presentation and were impressed to learn how these bears have been in some Hollywood movies, Kratts Creatures etc. All the animals were well cared for and seemed happy.
Written July 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
schasus
Ottawa, Canada13 contributions
Jun 2021
I visited the zoo early in the 2021 season. Lots of work was being carried out to improve enclosures. Yes, some are in need of repair and they are being attended to. The owners really care for these creatures. They take the time to speak to you about any concerns and you can hear the devotion.
When a keeper approached the lion's cage, the male ran playfully over to see her. The wolves were the same. These animals love their keepers who have a strong bond with them. I really enjoyed seeing the cheetah run and learning about conservation.
I was privileged to spend a night in a bunkie and listen to the wolves and lions calling out. Such magic and very affordable.
When a keeper approached the lion's cage, the male ran playfully over to see her. The wolves were the same. These animals love their keepers who have a strong bond with them. I really enjoyed seeing the cheetah run and learning about conservation.
I was privileged to spend a night in a bunkie and listen to the wolves and lions calling out. Such magic and very affordable.
Written September 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emmanuelle M
1 contribution
Jun 2020
Took my family here when it was open and we left after seeing the horrible conditions the animals live in. No water, poor living conditions, stressed out animals, no shade on hot days, dirty and overall very sad. Get these animals out of there. Please do not financially support this horrible business. It's not a zoo, it's a greedy horrible business.
Written May 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Catherine-Maria R
1 contribution
Aug 2023
Took my family for the weekend. First time there since the new owners took over. Loved it so much, better than ever!!! Lots has changed since we were last there but still tons of fun. Rented one of there cabins for the weekend (new to the park). The cabins are right by the owners house so we had a lot of time to get to know them. Such a lovely family. I loved talking to them about the animals and it became clear that this is not just a business but they truly love these animals. They could give me a run down on the history of every single animal I asked about. The staff there is awesome and cheerful and so very helpful. I have MS so I have trouble walking and due to the heavy rain the night before few parts of the path were a bit muddy and hard for me to manage. Anytime I had difficulty the staff were on top of it and took me in their gold cart to get me passed the area! So cool!! Gotta love them!! I fell in love with a movie star Bear named Whopper who is in retirement from a big time movie career, too cool!! The cabin was a very cool addition to the park. Made it feel more like glamping. The cabin was fully equiped with everything you could think of, coffee machine, microwave, tv with cable and wifi, fire pit and bbq and more. The best part of the cabin was sitting at the campfire listening to the wolves before bed. So peaceful.... We are gonna make this a regular summer trip, next time I plan to stay for a week or two!!
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cassandkyle3
Ottawa, Canada23 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
I have visited the Papanack Zoo twice this summer, once with my 2 nieces and today, solo. I really enjoyed both visits! The animals were active today so I really enjoyed watching and learning their behaviours. The educational talks are a must because you really get a good view and understanding of the animals they speak about. A visit here can easily be stretched out over the full day if you take in the talks and take the time to observe all the animals. The new owners are still working on renovating the zoo but it is already much better than it used to be and the animals seem better cared for too! I will return for sure!
Written August 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NicholeT
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Family
A great, cute size zoo located close to Ottawa. The staff were all very friendly and informative about the animals. There was a couple animals information shows that were fun to watch. It was also great being able to feed some animals with a variety food bag available to purchase (feed, banana and monkey biscuits). The animals seemed to really take a liking to the visitors as many of them would come to see us as we approached the cages (giving them food or not). Prices were reasonable for all things and I would defiantly go again. Only downside is the outdoor toilets and not really having a place to go indoors to cool off or eat - but their was shaded picnic tables. Thanks for a great day trip!
Written July 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosie E
2 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
My family spent the weekend at the zoo. The animals were adorable and being well cared for. The staff were awesome, especially Kerri! The cabin we stayed in was perfect for our family of four. I would definitely recommend staying the weekend.
Written June 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
winstonbad
Toronto, Canada2 contributions
This was one of the wost kinds of animal cruelty i have ever seen. We went on a day where it was over 40 degrees outside with the humidex and the conditions were terrible. What i saw brought me to tears. The black bears were panting and looked so sick and hot. Every cage had a sad looking animal in it. I did not see any water or shady places available for the animals and what really pissed me off was the people who worked there let this go on. I went to see the wolves, who were clearly sun stroked, and the zoo keeper tried to coax them out of their semi cool spot to put on a show. I told them to please stop and they said it was what they were supposed to do. Every other tiny cage i had the misfortune of visiting had some annoying person trying to do they same thing. They would coax them with food to suffer more. The whole place had an awful smell. You could smell the hormones in the air from all the animals in heat. I asked why and was told that they try to breed the animals. I was than told when babies come they trade them with other zoos for animals they don't have. Please do not go to this place. If there are any organizations out there that can help these beautiful animals please do so and shut down papanack zoo.
Written July 27, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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