About Us
The Howletts Wild Animal Trust (THWAT) is a registered charity (charity number 1100845) and consists of two wildlife parks operating in Kent – namely Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve in Folkestone and Howletts Wild Animal Park, near Canterbury.
As a dedicated animal conservation Charity, our purpose is to protect endangered wildlife, improve their lives, and where possible, breed such endangered species to ensure their survival. We work alongside conservation partners to relocate these endangered animals back into their natural habitats around the world.
Our Mission
- To provide high quality care for confiscated or rescued wild animals and breeding of species that have a demonstrable, direct conservation value or that can be released into the wild.
- To improve the welfare of every individual animal in our care for the duration of their lives.
- To communicate our objectives in a transparent and honest way and to focus only on those activities that truly deliver viable and substantial in-situ conservation benefits.
- To create memorable experiences that matter.
Animal Collection & Breeding Success
Across our two parks in Kent, we are home to more than 1,100 animals from over 90 species from around the world and welcome more than 100 new births every year! We are proud to be the world’s leading breeder of Javan gibbons and among the most successful black rhino breeders outside of Africa.