Running a zoo feels “incredibly precarious all the time”, says Benjamin Mee who bought Dartmoor Zoo in 2006.
While Durrell’s life was made into a book and popular TV series, Mee’s story was made into a Hollywood film – We Bought a Zoo – with Matt Damon playing him.
The reality of constant financial worries led to Mee donating the zoo to the charity Dartmoor Zoological Society in 2014, with him staying on as a trustee. He remains closely involved running the attraction, near Sparkwell in Devon.
“Every year is financially incredibly difficult,” he says.
“And even the good years, you’re kind of scrolling ahead to can you make it through the winter?
“The overheads are just enormous – there’s always maintenance and development to do, but ultimately it’s animal health and animal welfare you’re dealing with.”
Advocates like Mee believe zoos have a vital part to play in conservation and education.
He says not all zoos will survive but describes the birth of a critically-endangered Amur leopard at Dartmoor Zoo – a species on the brink of extinction – as “the apex of our achievement”.
“It’s not just a tourist attraction – that’s one of the hats it wears, but really it’s an educational resource for [a] very wide community.”