| Dartmoor Zoological Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 50°24′25″N 3°59′49″W / 50.407°N 3.997°W | |
| Date opened | 1968 |
| Location | Dartmoor, England |
| Land area | 33 acres (13 ha) |
| Annual visitors | 80,000 (2016) |
| Memberships | BIAZA[1] |
| Website | dartmoorzoo |
Dartmoor Zoological Society (originally Dartmoor Wildlife Park then Dartmoor Zoological Park) is a 33-acre (13 ha)[2][3] zoo just north of the village of Sparkwell, on the south-west edge of Dartmoor, in the county of Devon in the South West of England. It was opened in 1968 by Ellis Daw who ran it until its licence was revoked and it was forced to close in 2006. The zoo was bought in August 2006 by Benjamin Mee, who reopened the zoo in July 2007, later writing a book about his experiences called We Bought a Zoo (2008). A 2011 film of the same title was loosely based on the book. In September 2014 the zoo became the charity Dartmoor Zoological Society, a charity that focuses on conservation, education and research.
- ^ "BIAZA Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. BIAZA. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
- ^ Morris, Jonathan (6 July 2016). "Break-out zoo is being reopened". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- ^ "Dartmoor Wildlife Park sale completes" (Press release). Knight Frank. 3 November 2006. Archived from the original on 10 January 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2008.