Sunderland Safari! Lambton Lion Park: When Lions, Elephants and Rhinos roamed Wearside

The area known as the Lambton Estate is a 1000 acre public park which has been the historic seat of the Earls of Durham. Perched upon the River Wear, the estate is filled with historic buildings including Biddick Hall and Lambton Castle, surrounded by woodland and open fields.

But once upon a time, did you know there was an open safari area based upon this estate? Stretching over 200 acres, a huge attraction was opened in 1972 known as Lambton Lion Park which effectively imported the savannahs of Africa onto the banks of the River Wear.

As an open safari park, cars or specially designed tour buses would drive through it slowly and encounter the animals, which not only included lions, but also elephants, baboons, camels, Rhinos, Zebras and Giraffes, making it a thrilling experience for children. A drive through typically took an hour and half and cost just £1, which seems like a bargain by today’s prices.

Not surprisingly, there were reports of animals making a run for it. A botched break in in 1972 seen a number baboons escape and flee out into the streets, which caused a huge commotion in getting them back. However, despite the overwhelming popularity of the attraction, it was a victim of the economic downturn of the 1980s and ultimately closed in just eight years of opening, a very sad fate for something so exciting.

Now, the land which comprised the park is being developed into a private housing estate, a fate which has beset many other green open spaces within the Sunderland area.