Farm with exotic animals up for sale for £2.75m

Red pandas are among the other exotic creatures at the zoo

A zoo owner has put his 15-acre conservation project on the market for £2.75m.

Steve Cardell opened Cassiobury Farm and Fishery in Watford in 2016 following a restoration project having first purchased the site in 2009.

The farm is home to a private collection of exotic animals, many kept as part of European endangered breeding programmes.

Mr Cardell, 55, said his two children did not want to take it over and inheritance tax, which removes exemptions for farms and small businesses, was a "contributory factor and made us think about it harder".

Cassiobury Farm and Fishery opened in 2016 following a five-year restoration project

"The sale will be necessary and I would rather do it now while I am still in control of it," he said.

It comes after an announcement in August that open days would end after a final farewell event on 6 September.

There are more than 70 exotic animals at the zoo including flamingos

Galapagos tortoise, fossa (which has been compared to a small cougar), red panda, alpine dingoes and honey badgers and more than 70 other species are on the site.

There are also farm animals including Soay sheep, turkeys, deer, goats and alpacas.

The zoo has fishing lakes with a lodge, a cafe and a three-bedroom house, triple garage and a large self-contained studio.

Mr Cardell said he wanted to sell the property in order to "put in a long-term structure and leadership".

The exotic wildlife collection at the farm is managed and curated by the Ventura Wildlife Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on conservation and education.

The zoo includes many species where the owners are able to establish a breeding group or be part of a broader European endangered breeding programme.

It is a small local ecosystem with the owners endeavouring to utilise the old watercress beds, apple orchard, bamboo and willow trees to provide home-grown food for many of the animals.

There are number of bee hives on the site, together with two lakes and access to the canal with canal side moorings.