Newquay Zoo for sale, owner confirms

Golden lion tamarins are among the endangered species at the zoo

Newquay Zoo is on the market, its owner the charity Wild Planet Trust has confirmed, blaming financial difficulties.

The announcement that the 13-acre (5-hectare) zoo, home to about 850 animals, is for sale follows confirmation that its sister attraction, Paignton Zoo in Devon, is also on the market.

Stephen Kings, the trust's interim chief executive, said it wanted to "secure both zoos as thriving institutions".

The news comes on the same day that Axe Valley Wildlife Park, near Axminster in Devon, closes its doors, citing "difficult" times for businesses.

Young lynxes at Newquay Zoo which is home to about 850 animals

The trust, which leases the Newquay site from the town council, said it had received expressions of interest from across the UK and Europe.

"We're exploring all avenues to secure the future of both Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo for the next century and beyond," said Mr Kings.

"Like many charities, we've faced rising costs and global challenges, and we've already made difficult but necessary internal changes.

"Now we're looking at every option to ensure we don't just survive, but flourish."

Newquay Zoo was created as a children's attraction in the 1950s

"There have been conversations with potential investors and interested parties, which is very encouraging," he said.

"We are cautiously optimistic. But I have to emphasise that these are very, very early days."

In the meantime, both zoos remained fully open and operational, he said.

"These zoos belong to the community, they always have," he said.

"People are proud of both zoos, and the response we've received this past week has been truly humbling. It has only strengthened our resolve to find the right solution for the future."

The trust said in July 2024 that it faced "crippling challenges" and action was required to ensure the future of the institutions, including cutting costs by about £1m in a year.

Its latest accounts blame inflationary pressures and increased staffing costs.

The zoo costs about £5,000 a day to run according to its website

Newquay Zoo, at Trenance Gardens, employs about 70 people in peak season, and is home to about 850 animals, including 49 endangered species.

According to the zoo's website it costs about £5,000 a day to run, including food for the animals.

It started life as a seasonal children's attraction in the 1950s and the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, now known as the Wild Planet Trust, took it over, along with Paignton Zoo, in 2003.

Paignton Zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals, from giraffes to critically endangered Sumatran tigers.

Of these animals, at least 180 species have been classified on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List, which classifies species at high risk of extinction.

Among the zoo's residents are red pandas, of which there are fewer than 10,000 mature animals in the wild.

The trust's Living Coasts zoo in Torquay closed in 2020 following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and its lockdowns.

Wild Planet Trust has also put Paignton Zoo on the market