The WORST episodes of The Secret Life of the Zoo

Every episode of The Secret Life of the Zoo ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of The Secret Life of the Zoo!

Chester Zoo is the most popular zoo in Britain. This observational documentary series uses micro-rig camera technology to capture, in incredible detail, the remarkable behaviour of the animals there.

Last Updated: 11/3/2024Network: Channel 4Status: Ended
Survival of the fittest
star
5.80
5 votes

#1 - Survival of the fittest

Season 10 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/7/2021

Vila the chimp makes a bid for the job of top female only to get hurt in a fight with rival Alice. And Chester Zoo's super-rare pink pigeons need to stop arguing and start mating.

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The new Otter brood
star
6.50
10 votes

#2 - The new Otter brood

Season 10 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/17/2021

A giant otter's hogging all the food while a turtle's gone off his dinner because of a belly full of gravel. And a red river hog bullied by her sisters needs to fight back.

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Goodbye for now
star
6.67
6 votes

#3 - Goodbye for now

Season 10 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/14/2021

As two rat snakes meet for the first time, will they mate or will the male eat the female for his dinner? And Tombol the orangutan is parted from his sick mum, who may not make it.

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Protecting 007
star
6.89
9 votes

#4 - Protecting 007

Season 10 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/10/2021

Keepers are curious when Margery the Malayan tapir is suddenly eating for two; a deadly virus is suspected of being the cause behind a female hyacinth macaw's untimely death, her partner James Bond must undergo total isolation.

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Bongo love story
star
7.33
6 votes

#5 - Bongo love story

Season 10 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/31/2021

Newcomer Safi, a rare bongo antelope from the mountains of Kenya, is giving enthusiastic breeding partner Moti the runaround. Very soon the keepers realise why - it seems she may be about to give birth earlier than expected. Sunda gharial crocodiles Frank and Frankie need to have their blood tested - but taking a sample from one of the world's largest and most dangerous reptiles is easier said than done - and George the giant rat needs to have surgery after an X-ray pinpoints a huge lump of hard faeces in his stomach.

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First-time mom
star
7.33
9 votes

#6 - First-time mom

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/12/2018

Bert and Terrance, the Radiated Tortoises, are competing over female, Smooth Sides. K'tusha the Okapi is about to give birth to her first baby and Eurasian black vultures, Eric and Ethel, who haven't mated yet, may need to be separated.

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Habitat fit for a King
star
7.40
10 votes

#7 - Habitat fit for a King

Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/24/2021

Chester Zoo's alpha male lion is having a crisis of confidence. There's been a bloodbath among the vampire crabs. And affable Andean bear Bernie has been kicked out of the family paddock.

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The disappearance of the warty Pig
star
7.42
12 votes

#8 - The disappearance of the warty Pig

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/8/2019

Wendy, the Visayan Warty Pig, manages to escape from her enclosure, causing an emergency. Young Giraffe, Narus, is moving to a zoo in the Netherlands. Keepers try to get Pinstripe Dambas, Noel and Frida, to mate.

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The Bermuda Skink shuffle
star
7.50
8 votes

#9 - The Bermuda Skink shuffle

Season 9 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/27/2020

Adolescent babirusa Tolo has a hoof problem. Rock hyraxes Daissie and her partner Nungu are expecting their eighth litter. At the reptile house, the Bermuda skinks have a ferocious approach to mating as Poptart meets Sharkface.

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Aardvark-Free Romance
star
7.50
10 votes

#10 - Aardvark-Free Romance

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/18/2018

A new pair of female meerkats arrive and the aardvarks are making them anxious. Subis, the Sumatran Orangutan, gives birth, and the keepers try to breed some Three-Horned Chameleons.

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Wishing for a Meerkat miracle
star
7.54
13 votes

#11 - Wishing for a Meerkat miracle

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/20/2020

Hornbills survived a fire that swept through their home, but it may have derailed their plans for chicks. Meerkat matriarch Huskie seems to have lost her breeding instincts. Sun bear Milli has her paws full bringing up her daughter Kyra.

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Difficult parenting
star
7.55
20 votes

#12 - Difficult parenting

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/17/2016

Grevy's Zebras, Florence and Nadine, are about to give birth so the keepers are keeping a close eye on both. Meanwhile, warthog dad Magnum is feeling the pressure of parenting. Two of his older children are becoming increasingly hard to control.

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The Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas 2018
star
7.57
7 votes

#13 - The Secret Life of the Zoo at Christmas 2018

Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/20/2018

"Secret Life at the Zoo Christmas" - The animals receive their presents. It's a celebration for the birth of the UK's first surviving Sun Bear cub.

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Antisocial Otters
star
7.65
17 votes

#14 - Antisocial Otters

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/24/2016

Willie, a male Bornean Orangutan from Holland is introduced to Chester Zoo's females. Kendari, the Babirusa is about to give birth and the Small Clawed Otters have a big surprise for their keepers.

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A deer Family Welcome
star
7.69
13 votes

#15 - A deer Family Welcome

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/13/2020

As the documentary series following life at Chester Zoo returns, on Chimpanzee Island the younger males test the pecking order. And there's a fish out of water at the aquarium. Deer couple Serena and Odin welcome their second doe.

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Elephant Dynamics
star
7.70
10 votes

#16 - Elephant Dynamics

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/14/2019

Asian short-clawed otters develop bald patches. Flamingo chicks are being moved to the adult aviary. A pregnant antelope's aggressive behavior is causing concern.

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Chimp turf war
star
7.70
10 votes

#17 - Chimp turf war

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/28/2018

Mana the Bush Dog is pregnant. The Chimpanzee group is having a power struggle. Wattled Crane, Wilma, is getting a new partner named Ivan and Asian Short Clawed Otter, Wallace, is unwell.

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Cheetah Brothers
star
7.70
10 votes

#18 - Cheetah Brothers

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/15/2019

Elderly Cheetah, Matrah, develops a limp and is examined by the vets. Young Sumatran Orangutan, Tuti, needs to prove that she's responsible enough to look after her new sister. Rare Babirusa piglets arrive, but there are concerns for the runt of the litter.

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High risk pregnancy
star
7.77
13 votes

#19 - High risk pregnancy

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/31/2018

Asian Elephant, Thi, is pregnant again, but keepers are worried for both her and her unborn calf. Male Clownfish Polo, is injured while fighting with the other males for the attention of dominant female, Rosie. A new male Giant Anteater arrives as a potential mate for Bliss and Giraffe, Meru, is on a mission.

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Fledgling Penguins
star
7.79
19 votes

#20 - Fledgling Penguins

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/1/2016

Humboldt Penguin chicks are introduced to the main pool. Two Sunda Gharial Crocodiles arrive from France, but refuse to eat. Boris the chimpanzee takes a wild Moorhen chick hostage and keepers try to figure out why two Bornean River turtles aren't breeding.

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The Birthing Journey
star
7.80
10 votes

#21 - The Birthing Journey

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/21/2019

Keepers plan a herd birth for Orla the giraffe. Two spider monkeys withdraw from their family. Two camels experience the trauma of separation when one undergoes an operation.

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Episode 3
star
7.80
20 votes

#22 - Episode 3

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/14/2017

Cheetah, KinkyTail, has fallen ill and the Chimpanzees are joined by a new female from Germany. Small Clawed Otter runt, Bo, is observed by keepers.

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Save the Elephants
star
7.80
20 votes

#23 - Save the Elephants

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/23/2016

A potentially deadly virus hits the elephant house. Will Chester's female zebras be interested in new stallion Mac? Plus: the bizarre world of the naked mole rat.

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Baby Porcupine On The Loose
star
7.82
11 votes

#24 - Baby Porcupine On The Loose

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/9/2018

Three Malayan Tapirs are moved to a new enclosure. Crested Porcupines, Roxy and Hendrix have a baby and some new male Golden Dart Frogs arrive.

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Tough love
star
7.83
12 votes

#25 - Tough love

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/22/2019

Keepers think that two-toed sloth, Tina, may be pregnant. A young new male is introduced to the mandrill group. Keepers find a new mate for South American blue poison dart frog, Big Bertha, who loves to wrestle and try to get Asiatic Lions, Kiburi and Iblis, to mate.

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