Solar panel plan for Telford zoo amid rising energy costs

Monthly energy bills at the Exotic Zoo rose from £1,000 to £5,000 in the past year, staff said

A zoo will start to fit solar panels to try to save money after seeing its energy bill soar over the past year.

Monthly bills at the Exotic Zoo in Telford, Shropshire, have climbed from £1,000 to £5,000 which boss Scott Adams says has them "in panic stations".

The zoo is drawing up plans for the panels after receiving a £10,000 grant from Telford and Wrekin Council.

"It's really made us aware of how much it costs to house certain types of animals," Mr Adams said.

The grant was from the council's Climate Change Fund, for community group projects aimed at cutting the area's carbon footprint.

Staff at the zoo said while the grant would not pay for enough panels to make the site self-sufficient, it would allow them to start the process.

The zoo has a range of animals including otters

Mr Adams admitted the rising cost meant the zoo would have to consider the implications when bringing in animals in the future.

"But in the short term it's not something we can pull back on - the animals here need the care that they need and that's that, we can't change that," he explained.