Paignton Zoo owner Wild Planet Trust has confirmed that the 85-acre zoo, home to more than 2,000 animals, is on the market alongside 18 acres of adjacent land.
Via ITV News, Wild Planet Trust said in a statement it has “started to explore the possibility of securing investment”, although no guide price has been released.
“Confidentiality is crucial to this process, ensuring that all relevant parties have access to consistent, accurate, and timely information,” the charity added.
“This confidential approach is in place to protect the interests of all involved, ensuring that no party is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged by incomplete or speculative information.”
The trust said it had “previously shared information regarding the financial challenges that we face and whilst we have already taken appropriate action to try to ease these challenges, this is another avenue for us to investigate”.
Last year, the Wild Planet Trust made a number of redundancies at its sites, Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo, due to lower attendance and a series of crippling challenges in recent years.
In the new statement, the trust said: “Our unwavering commitment remains on providing our animals with the highest levels of welfare and husbandry, ensuring all of their physical, emotional and environmental needs are met.”
Financial challenges for UK zoo
Wild Planet Trust said securing investment would “protect the long-term future of our conservation charity” and continue “to help halt species decline”.
“We will share more information when we are able to,” the trust said.
On that subject, Paignton Zoo has created a revolutionary zoo database for endangered species in a bid to save wildlife from extinction.
Images courtesy of Wild Planet Trust
