How Torbay’s century-old zoo defied financial extinction

As summer sunshine bathes the English Riviera, our iconic zoo buzzes with renewed energy that seemed impossible just twelve months ago.

Where last summer brought emergency meetings and serious financial warnings, today I watch families gather around exhibits, children point excitedly at wildlife, and botanical gardens burst with seasonal colour. Our journey from financial uncertainty to renewed prosperity offers a compelling blueprint for regional resilience.

Less than a year ago, Paignton Zoo faced significant uncertainty about its future. With visitor numbers declining and operational costs soaring, we faced difficult decisions about the future of an institution woven into Devon's identity for generations.

The threat wasn't just to the thousands of animals who call our zoo home—it endangered a cornerstone of our local economy that has historically contributed approximately £15 million annually to Torbay. This economic impact extends beyond tourism, supporting supply chains, hospitality venues, and countless small businesses throughout the region.

As someone raised in Torbay, I found myself in the unique position of communicating our financial realities to the public whilst preserving the affection and hope for this beloved organisation that has defined us for more than a century. Fond childhood memories of school trips and peacock feathers suddenly collided with boardroom discussions about financial pressures and redundancies.

It was in those difficult meetings that I truly understood what was at stake—not just a collection of animals, but a living piece of our community's heritage.

Moving forward, my colleagues and I were compelled to rethink our strategy. Building stronger bridges with our local community, prioritising visitor experience, and streamlining operations became our lifelines.

We asked ourselves what makes a zoo visit special in an age when people can see wildlife documentaries in stunning 4K from their sofas. The answer: creating authentic connections between people and wildlife that screens simply cannot replicate.

There is something transformative about standing face to face with a wild animal. Our redesigned exhibits—from underwater viewing areas in Crocodile Swamp to the desert landscapes of Arid Lands and lush canopies of Tropical Trails—create meaningful encounters with wildlife in naturalistic settings.

Then comes the realisation of how, for many of these species, precious few remain on the planet. For children who face an uncertain future in which many of these animals could become extinct in the wild, that sudden understanding is revelatory.

When we were facing our own extinction as an institution, it gave us a profound connection to the species we protect.

Our breeding programmes became even more precious during our most challenging moments. Our most visible conservation initiative this summer centres on Rothschild's giraffes—with fewer than 2,000 remaining in the wild. A fundraising campaign in June aims to fund our specialised "giraffe maternity unit", essential for international breeding efforts.

Yet whilst these charismatic megafauna often capture public attention, some of our most significant conservation successes involve species that often fly under the radar.

The pink pigeon, once reduced to fewer than 20 individuals in the wild, has been rescued from extinction's edge partly thanks to hand-rearing methods developed in this very zoo, by boots-on-the-ground zookeepers. These lesser-known stories often represent our most meaningful contributions to global conservation.

Behind the scenes, remarkable work unfolds daily. Our veterinary team provides specialised medical care for vulnerable species. Our botanists craft living landscapes that do more than beautify—they create enrichment crucial for animal welfare.

This quiet expertise underpins everything we do. The resilience my colleagues have shown this year—some working additional hours without complaint during our most precarious financial period—has been nothing short of
inspirational.

This collective dedication reaches far beyond animal welfare and conservation; the zoo's influence ripples through the entire regional ecosystem. For Torbay's business community, we function as more than a charitable institution—we serve as an economic driver.

Even during last year's financial struggles, we welcomed 303,403 visitors. Projections for 2025 suggest this
figure will rise to 311,821 – a 2.7% increase that signals steady recovery. This visitor activity is expected to channel an estimated £15.4 million into the local economy, reinforcing Torbay's position as a destination committed to sustainable tourism.

Our corporate partnership programmes now offer local businesses unique opportunities to demonstrate environmental commitments whilst gaining visibility among conservation-minded consumers. These range from exhibit sponsorships to employee engagement days, creating vital connections between commerce and conservation that have proven crucial to our financial stabilisation.

For those who haven't visited since before the financial crisis, we have evolved significantly whilst maintaining our sense of wonder remembered from childhood visits. As someone who shares that nostalgia and now helps tell its story, I'm acutely aware of how deeply our zoo is woven into our community's fabric.

That shared investment continues to fuel our recovery today and will shape our future for generations to come. Last week, a conversation I overheard caused me to pause a moment by Baboon Rock, the same rock where many of us as children watched with amusement as primate dramas unfolded.

An elderly couple stood nearby with their grandson, the woman gently explaining to the wide-eyed boy that she and his grandad had come to this very zoo on their first date in 1962, "before even Baboon Rock was built."

For visitors from across the country, it's a day of discovery they'll photograph, share, and remember. For my colleagues, it's where they've dedicated careers to animals that might otherwise disappear from our planet. For those grandparents, retracing steps taken decades earlier, it holds memories spanning more than half a century.

Despite visitor numbers climbing and breeding programmes flourishing, challenges remain. Rising operational costs continue to pressure our budget. Climate change affects both our daily operations and long-term conservation planning. We must balance accessibility with financial sustainability.

Continued engagement with the business community will be essential, as we explore sustainable funding streams while creating mutual value for local enterprises. Yet we face these challenges from a position of renewed strength.

Our recovery has taught us resilience. We've learned to adapt quickly, communicate transparently, and leverage community support when it matters most.

These lessons will guide us as we work to secure not just our immediate future, but our next century of conservation, education, and connection.