Wild Ireland

Wild Ireland sets the clock back to when wild animals roamed Ireland and were persecuted and hunted to extinction. It offers a new home to many animals rescued from a life of exploitation and abuse in circuses, roadside zoos, the illegal pet trade, and laboratories. If you are interested in animal welfare and conservation, this experience is truly memorable.

Rescue & rehabilitation

‘Wild Ireland’ is located on the Wild Atlantic Way and belongs to the most exciting visitor attraction in the North West of Ireland. The park opened to visitors on 25 October 2019, becoming a cornerstone of Irish wildlife conservation. It has recreated the natural habitats for the rescued animals to live as close to being in the wild as possible. As a result, all of them start to flourish in this environment.

Wild Ireland offers animals sanctuary and immediate medical care while providing them with an environment, food, and enrichment tailored to their unique needs. This is a safe space to recover, both physically and mentally. It's hard to believe, but some of these animals need to learn how to act like animals. They have never learned how to survive, find food, or avoid predators or man. 

They must learn to go outside, walk on grass, swim, play, and socialise with other animals. This can be a long and challenging process, but the Wild Ireland team strives to ensure the animals have everything they need to succeed. A team of trained animal keepers, zoologists, veterinarians, and international animal consultants strives daily for the highest animal welfare.

The sanctuary story

Killian McLaughlin created the wildlife sanctuary despite facing numerous obstacles, including financial constraints, bureaucratic hurdles, and unforeseen setbacks. McLaughlin harboured a profound love and dedication for animals from a young age. His fascination with nature predates his legal career, and his fondness for wildlife is deeply rooted in his childhood experiences.

Killian's background as a solicitor helps him solve legal issues and ensure funding for the project. His passion for conservation is evident in every aspect of his mission, from animal rescue to education. Killian aims to create a sustainable sanctuary for various species, including bears, wolves, wild boars, and lynx. Visitors to the sanctuary can expect to find everything from bears and wolves to otters. Beyond animal welfare, Wild Ireland broadly contributes to preserving Ireland's natural heritage.

We recommend spending at least two hours at the park to give you the best opportunity to see the animals. Enclosures are designed so the animals can rest out of public sight should they wish for peace and quiet. For the safety of our animals and your pets, bringing any animal into the park is strictly prohibited. Admission to Wild Ireland is pretty reasonable, making it one of the most popular things families can do in Donegal. It’s €18.50 per adult and €14.50 per child. Wild Ireland is open year-round. Please see the official website for the most up-to-date information regarding opening hours. 

Activities

Guests can expect to learn much about the sanctuary’s residents and how many of them were once subject to abuse. Keeper talks take place every 15 minutes. if you don’t want to attend the talks, you can wander around alone. Each session at Wild Ireland lasts 3 hours. Information on daily keeper talks is available at the gate but is subject to change. By attending keeper talks, you will learn more about a specific species and their ancient history on the Emerald Isle. This educational experience offers insight into the plight of animals in the wild and the hurt and neglect that many experience at the hands of humanity. It also immerses you in the incredible work that Wild Ireland does in their effort to inspire a brand new generation of conservationists.

Children will be fascinated to take the fairy trail around the rainforest and play in the local state-of-the-art play park. You will also be delighted with ancient folklore tales. Finish the stroll with tasty treats from the Wild Ireland Shop and café. The Wild Café serves hot drinks, snacks, sandwiches, and sweet treats. There is also a designated picnic area.

Animals

A few centuries ago, Ireland was clothed in a thick blanket of temperate Celtic Rainforest. Today, the Irish countryside bears little resemblance to the wilderness it was just a few hundred years ago. At Wild Ireland, Brown bears, European Wolves, and Lynx can be seen back together in their ancestral home. Other top sights include barbary macaque monkeys, wild boars and birds—all common to Ireland at varying stages throughout history.

The Irish Brown Bear, which has been extinct in Ireland since the last ice age, can be found back in the woodlands of County Donegal. Three bears at Wild Ireland are siblings—one boy and two girls. They were rescued from a Museum in Lithuania, where they were being kept illegally as a tourist attraction. The sanctuary cooperated with the charity Bears in Mind and Natuurhulpcentrum Rescue Centre in Belgium to offer them a new home in Ireland.

You can now see wolves in Ireland, too! Wolves were common in the wild in Ireland but were wiped out in the 18th century due to hunting. Lynx have returned to our County Donegal forest for the first time in thousands of years. They are big enough to hunt red deer. Wild Boar abounded in the forests and were an essential source of meat for Irish people. They would have been a common prey item for Irish wolves. Their extinction was probably caused by overhunting and the destruction of oak woodlands as they fed upon acorns and beechmast. Many wild birds call Wild Ireland home, and our beautiful lake is home to swans, ducks and even a cheeky pair of otters.

You’ll find barbary macaques, a large primate native to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. Barbary Macaque remains dating over 2,500 years old have been found in Ireland. Their populations are under extreme pressure in the wild. Poachers steal baby macaques from their mothers to sell them on the illegal black market as pets or photographers' props on tourist beaches.