The Aspinall Foundation: Howletts Wild Animal Park and Port Lympne Reserve are world leading animal conservation parks

Kids can get lost in a world of animals, with so much to see and do, at Howletts Wild Animal Park and Port Lympne Reserve.

It's no wonder they are two of the most visited attractions in Kent, with thousands of animals and the chance to learn more about them.

If you're looking for a really wild trip this summer holidays, make sure they are on your activity list.

The parks are world leaders in conservation work and are breeding centres for rare and endangered animals.

They work in partnership with the Aspinall Foundation, a world leading conservation charity breeding lots of endangered animals like the black Rhino, clouded leopard, Javan gibbons, Javan langur and African elephants (just to name a few!)

It also manages conservation projects around the globe, helping prevent some of the most endangered species on the planet from becoming extinct.

The two parks are home to more than 1000 animals and 100 different species. The park also holds daily talks about how to care for the animals.

What is animal conservation?

Conservation work helps to protect a wide range of critically endangered species. Their main conservation-based activities include captive breeding, education, ecosystem management and the rehabilitation of animals and releasing them back into the wild.

The attractions were set up by John Aspinall who bought Howletts Wild Animal Park in 1957 and then went on to buy Port Lympne Reserve in 1973 to help house the growing groups of animals.

Profits from the parks go towards helping the Aspinall Foundation’s efforts to save rare and endangered species both in the UK and overseas.

The Aspinall Foundation is the registered conservation charity set up to work with the Kent wild animal parks.

The charity manages conservation projects and protects wilderness across the four continents and where possible, animals born at Howletts and Port Lympne are reintroduced to protected areas in the wild, as part of the charity's Back To The Wild initiative.

Here’s a little more info on each park...

Howletts Wild Animal Park

Families can experience real conservation and get up close with the most rare and endangered species in the world.

The park celebrated its 40th birthday in 2015 and is home to the world’s largest collection of critically endangered western lowland gorillas and has the largest herd of African elephants in the UK.

There are more than 450 animals and over 50 individual species that live at the animal park near Canterbury.

You can get up close and personal to Amur tigers, Northern Chinese leopards and watch lions and wolves in their glass-fronted enclosures. You can even walk with lemurs as these adorable creatures explore branches overhead.

Set in 100 acres of historic parkland, there’s woodland walkways and pathways to explore, with lots of fun-filled activities for all members of the family to enjoy.

Visitors can have a go at the Tree Top Challenge - an obstacle course set high in the trees with rope bridges, cargo nets, and zip wires. There's also an Animal Adventure Challenge for younger adventurers with slides and swings.

Port Lympne Reserve

Celebrating its 40th birthday throughout 2016, Port Lympne Reserve, near Hythe is home to more than 700 rare and endangered species.

You'll discover black rhino, big cats, primates, water buffalo, small cats and lots more at the park.

This year there will also be the chance to see the arrival of the county's first ever breeding pair of spectacled bears. New to the park is an epic dinosaur exhibit, with more than 100 anatomically correct and life-sized models including the T-Rex, Diplodocus and Pterodactyl.

The park offers safari experiences too. Go on a rhino safari where you can learn about the conservation efforts for its survival and maybe even get to feed these large mammals. Day visitors can enjoy a safari to the African and Asian Experiences to see animals roaming freely across the Kentish savannahs, included in the price.

Port Lympne Reserve is Europe’s first animal focused holiday destination, offering visitors the chance to stay at the reserve.

The reserve has luxury treehouses, camping pods, glamping at Livingstone Lodge and Bear Lodge, a cosy cottage sleeping six and a four-star hotel on site. The Pinewood Camping Pods are set among the Amur tigers and European wolves, with towering pine trees all around you’ll feel like you’re really camping in the wild not the heart of Kent.

Go to www.aspinallfoundation.org to find a full list of details and activities on both parks.