PAIGNTON, England — Dutch leisure group Libéma has agreed to take over Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo in a deal announced today, securing the future of two of the South West’s best‑known wildlife attractions. Under an agreement with charity owner Wild Planet Trust, Libéma will assume commercial operations from early January 2026 and invest in new exhibits after months of financial turmoil and speculation over a sale, zoo leaders said Dec. 10, 2025.
Paignton Zoo sale ends months of uncertainty
Wild Planet Trust, which has run Paignton Zoo for more than a century and added Newquay Zoo to its portfolio in 2003, says the deal allows it to step back from day‑to‑day zoo management while focusing on conservation science and field projects. According to a detailed statement from the zoo, the Dutch operator will run both sites as commercial attractions but keep conservation, education and breeding programmes at the heart of the offer.
The agreement covers two zoos that together hold more than 3,000 animals and attract about 400,000 visitors a year, with Libéma set to take ownership for an undisclosed sum while Wild Planet Trust steps back from zoo operations. Those figures, and the ownership detail, were confirmed in South West business outlet Insider Media, which reported that Paignton Zoo alone houses more than 2,000 animals.
Interim Wild Planet Trust chief executive Stephen Kings called the deal “the start of an exciting new chapter” and said Libéma shares the charity’s focus on animal welfare, conservation and hospitality, arguing that under the new owner the zoos are not only expected to survive but “to thrive” into the future.
The announcement draws a line under a nervy autumn for Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo. In early October, Wild Planet Trust confirmed in an ITV West Country report that Paignton Zoo had been put up for sale after mounting losses, prompting a public plea — “please somebody, rescue Paignton Zoo” — as tourism leaders warned Devon could not afford to lose the attraction to closure or redevelopment. Days later the trust told sector outlet Charity Times that rising costs and “global challenges” meant it was actively exploring a sale of both zoos, while insisting any buyer must keep them as working conservation sites with modernised facilities.
Libéma brings turnaround experience
Libéma, a family‑owned leisure company based in the Netherlands, already operates more than 20 parks and venues, including four zoos and safari parks, and welcomes around five million visitors a year, according to its corporate profile. Chief executive Dirk Lips said the firm had seized the chance to invest in Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo and is looking forward to working with staff on “exciting plans” to enhance the visitor experience and support conservation.
Libéma also has form when it comes to reviving struggling wildlife attractions. At Safari Park Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the company took over in 1987 after the council‑owned park ran into serious financial trouble and faced possible closure; subsequent private investment in new stables, infrastructure and more naturalistic mixed‑species enclosures helped turn it into one of the Netherlands’ leading safari destinations, zoo‑history site AboutZoos notes.
Giraffe and rhino comeback at Paignton Zoo
For many supporters, the headline promise is a giraffe‑and‑rhino revival at Paignton Zoo. From 2026, the site will be re‑routed into five themed zones built around a major savannah landscape bringing together giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and antelope, alongside a refreshed “Into Africa” experience that will see rhinoceroses return and new mixed paddocks for camels, vicuñas, rheas and maras. Those plans were set out in the zoo’s own future‑secured statement.
Newquay Zoo is also slated to gain an African savannah with giraffes, mirroring a broader trend toward immersive mixed‑species African zones in UK zoos, including Chester Zoo’s recently opened Heart of Africa development.
The upgrades come after a bruising period for Paignton Zoo’s large mammals. The zoo only reopened its refurbished indoor giraffe house to visitors in late 2024 after a costly overhaul, following concern from regulars who missed close‑up views of the herd. In September 2025, Paignton Zoo announced the death of Manyara, its 23‑year‑old black rhino and long‑time ambassador for the species, leaving the site without a resident rhinoceros for the first time in years.
With Libéma now pledging capital for new enclosures and experiences, staff and campaigners hope Paignton Zoo can move decisively from crisis talks back to what it is best known for: breeding rare species, educating visitors and giving families a close‑up view of wildlife. Detailed designs, planning applications and staff consultations will follow in the coming months, but after a turbulent year the mood around Paignton Zoo is already shifting from survival to renewal.
