PAIGNTON ZOO

Wild Planet Trust and Libéma chief executives Stephen Kings and Dirk Lips discuss the future of Paignton Zoo.

Transcript

00:00And trustees have now made the decision that we are going to sell both Paynton and Newky Zoo to Lybema.

00:09We have nearly 40 years of experience in the world of zoos.

00:13We currently own four zoos as a firepark Beekseberg in the Netherlands.

00:19It's the biggest zoo in the Netherlands also with 1.5 million visitors a year.

00:25We have a great passion for nature.

00:28We participate with our zoos in over 120 breeding programs for endangered species.

00:36We focus on education and research.

00:39And all these aspects are important for the future for Paynton Zoo and Newky Zoo as well.

00:46There will be continuity alongside investment.

00:49It's everything we've looked for in terms of an organization to come and take over the zoos.

00:55We have an improvement vision with 36 plans for Paynton.

01:00We have highlighted five new areas.

01:05One a tropical forest area, a grassland area, a water area and a mountain area.

01:13And all these areas you can reach from a central square.

01:17We are going to reintroduce the rhinos.

01:21We are coordinating in Europe the breeding program for the rhinos.

01:26Therefore, we believe it's possible that we can bring them to Paynton Zoo.

01:31We are making a new African Sivana.

01:34Then we are going to remove the baboons to a new enclosure.

01:41That will be very exciting, of course, for the baboons in the first place, for the visitors too.

01:48In the tropical trail and the arid trail, we will introduce new species into these enclosures.

01:58And in the crocodile swamp, we introduce Commodore dragons.

02:03They are very spectacular.

02:05And of course, we make new viewing points for the big cats.

02:10And we are very grateful to the members of staff and volunteers of Paynton Zoo and Newquay Zoo

02:17and the communities for granting us the opportunity to continue and to develop those zoos.

02:24It's a great opportunity and we are very privileged that Dirk and his team are coming into our zoos

02:33and will develop them well into the future.

02:36And it's incredibly exciting.

02:38The best thing the community to do is come and visit us.

02:42We are under new ownership.

02:44There will be lots of new investment.

02:46Come and see what's happening.