Paignton Zoo reveals biggest redevelopment plans in 103-year history

The new owners of Paignton Zoo today unveiled what they say is the most significant redevelopment of the site in its 103-year history.
The return of zebras and the arrival of white rhinoceros will be among the highlights as the zoo is split into four themed zones.
Steven van den Heuvel, the zoo’s transition manager, said: “This is a hugely exciting moment. What we’re doing is not just updating individual habitats, but re-thinking the entire visitor experience and how we tell the story of the animals in our care.”
The zoo was taken over last year by the Libema group, a Dutch leisure company with a strong track record of investing in and revitalising zoological parks. It was put on the market by the Wild Planet Trust after a series of commercial setbacks including the Covid pandemic, an outbreak of avian flu and Brexit-related restrictions on bringing in new animals.
The new owners have already started work across the site, with diggers working on new structures.
Libema says a completely new layout is at the heart of the transformation. The zoo will be organised into four distinct zones – grasslands, wetlands, rainforests and islands. Each area will be designed as a looping route for visitors with a central plaza overlooking the main lake.
The first major phase is now under way in the new grasslands zone, where the existing giraffe paddock is being expanded into a ‘savannah’ for giraffes, zebras, ostrich and blesbok, a kind of antelope. A new habitat is currently under development to welcome white rhinoceros, supporting the zoo’s ongoing role in conservation and species management.
A South American-inspired area will host species such as rhea and vicuña while a Central Asian steppe will be home to Bactrian camels and yak.
The wetlands zone will welcome sitatunga, a rare antelope species known for its ability to move through water. Species such as babirusa deer-pigs, saki monkeys, and Komodo dragons are expected to feature elsewhere.
There will be new pathways, enhanced play areas and updated food and drink facilities.
Libema says it is exploring ways for the local community to be involved in the transformation.
Mr van den Heuvel went on: “Grasslands is the first major step, but it’s part of a much bigger transformation happening across the whole site. Over time, visitors will see new species, new habitats, and a completely new way of exploring the zoo.
“Importantly, this evolution stays true to what Paignton Zoo has always stood for – conservation, education, and animal welfare remain at the heart of everything we do, and this investment allows us to strengthen that work for the future.”
The first new arrivals are expected around Easter.