Staff are working to account for all species after fire destroyed much of the vast plastic roof covering Chester Zoo’s Monsoon Forest area.
All the mammals have been located but keepers are “working hard” to track down the rest of the animals, according to a statement released by the zoo on Saturday.
Visitors were evacuated and the zoo was closed while fire crews worked to control the blaze.
Clips shared on social media show a live fire and thick black smoke billowing from the area.
An update on the zoo’s Facebook page said: “Visitors have been evacuated and asked to leave the zoo as teams work to bring the situation under control.
“The zoo’s animal teams are working to move all animals away from the incident.”
Witness David Clough, who lives across the road from the zoo, said he saw signs of the fire just after 11:30am.
The 50-year-old said high winds fanned the flames in the inflatable roof of the building, adding: “We were very worried for the people and animals that would have been in the building.”
He added: “Orangutans and gibbons are our nearest neighbours there, but there are many other animals, including free-flying birds.”
Founded in the 1930s, Chester Zoo is a popular tourist destination and home to more than 20,000 animals.