Korkeasaari Zoo

What Korkeasaari Zoo does

Korkeasaari Zoo is a non-profit zoological park operating on an island near Helsinki, Finland, and is part of the City of Helsinki (Helsingfors stad) conglomerate group through the Korkeasaaren eläintarhan säätiö sr foundation (Business ID FI2864471-3, founded 1889). It houses approximately 150 animal species, draws roughly 500,000 visitors per year, and runs Finland's largest Wildlife Hospital for injured and orphaned wild animals. Its core offering is day-admission zoological sightseeing, supported by a network of EAZA, WAZA, and IUCN conservation programs and ~30+ distinct on-staff specializations.

The organization monetizes through a diversified ticket and service stack: pay-per-visit admission tickets (adult €22-29, child €0-20, student/senior €17-22, seasonal variation), annual Vuosikortti passes at €30-65, animal encounter experiences priced €390-490 per group (with €50/conservation), guided tours at €150 plus admission, corporate meeting packages at €72-78 per person, bulk business tickets at €15.86-18.50 (min. 30), and free pre-booked entry for Finnish school and early-childhood groups (Oct-Apr for schools). Complementary revenue comes from a licensed donation platform (one-time and monthly, permit RA/2020/1648), a custom-events fundraising site, on-site retail, and food service operated by Marcante Oy across Restaurant Pukki, Bistro Bron, Restaurant Karhu, and Jungle Juice Bar.

No proprietary technology platform is disclosed; operations rely on shared infrastructure including Enkora for online ticketing, Stripe for donation processing, Google reCAPTCHA on the newsletter form, and participation in Species360's ZIMS database for animal records and in EAZA-coordinated EEP breeding programs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website (korkeasaari.fi and oma.enkora.fi/korkeasaari), on-site box office, and a group sales team for schools and corporates, with marketing reach through email, Facebook/Instagram, STT press distribution, and an influencer program. Helsinki residents, domestic tourists, Finnish schools, corporate clients, and international conservation donors constitute the primary customer segments.

Name

Korkeasaari Zoo

Legal name

Korkeasaaren eläintarhan säätiö sr

Website

https://korkeasaari.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Korkeasaari Zoo is a non-profit foundation-operated zoological park on an island near Helsinki, Finland, serving ~500,000 annual visitors with admissions, annual passes, corporate events, and conservation donor programs, while running Finland's largest Wildlife Hospital and participating in international species breeding networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Zoo admissions
• Environmental education
• Wildlife hospital
• Corporate event venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from admission tickets sold to individual visitors, families, and tourists. Pricing varies by age category (adults, children, students/seniors).
2. Annual Passes: Vuosikortti (annual pass) membership providing unlimited access throughout the year. Priced at €30-65.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The non-profit foundation collects donations for conservation projects. Both one-time and monthly recurring donation options available. Licensed fundraising permit RA/2020/1648.
4. Business Services: Corporate tickets (minimum 30), meeting room rentals, team day packages, and event hosting services for businesses and organizations.
5. Animal Experiences: Premium behind-the-scenes encounters with animals (tiger, monkey, camel, mongoose experiences) priced at €390-490 per group, with portions going to conservation.
6. Retail and Food Services: On-site shop sales and restaurant operations (operated by Marcante Oy).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Korkeasaari Zoo is a non-profit foundation operating Finland's largest zoological park on an island near Helsinki, housing approximately 150 animal species. Its core offering is year-round public zoo admission (day tickets and annual passes), supplemented by fee-based visitor experiences (guided tours, animal encounters, birthday parties, summer camps), licensed corporate services (meeting rooms, team days, bulk business tickets), Nature School Arkki educational programs, and a Wildlife Hospital that rehabilitates injured wild animals. Revenue and donations fund international endangered-species conservation projects and species recovery programs.

Product overview

Korkeasaari Zoo is a non-profit foundation operating Finland's largest zoo on an island near Helsinki, open year-round. The core offering centers on animal exhibits and conservation (housing approximately 150 animal species), supported by a Wildlife Hospital that treats injured wild animals. Visitor experiences include paid admission tickets and annual passes, complemented by fee-based add-on experiences such as themed Guided Tours, Animal Encounters (tiger, monkey, camel, mongoose), Birthday Parties, Summer Camps, and an Escape Room. Educational services include certified Nature School Arkki programs and free admission for pre-booked school and daycare groups. Corporate services encompass Meeting Rooms (Paanu, Björnborg, Restaurant Pukki, kåtas), Team Day packages, and bulk Business Tickets. The organization also operates a Donation Platform for conservation support, a Shop, and on-site Restaurants. All visitor revenue and donations support the foundation's mission of protecting endangered species and biodiversity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Villieläinsairaala (Wildlife Hospital): Finland's largest wildlife rescue center providing care for injured and orphaned wild animals.
• Luontokoulu Arkki (Nature School Arkki)

Products and services

• Zoo Admission Tickets Day admission tickets to Korkeasaari Zoo for individual visitors, families, and tourists, with seasonal pricing and free entry for children under 4.
• Annual Pass (Vuosikortti) Subscription-style annual membership providing unlimited year-round zoo access, priced €30-65 based on pass type.
• Guided Tours Themed guided tours (Seasonal Korkeasaari, Finnish Korkeasaari, Animal Communities, Tropical Korkeasaari) lasting 1-1.5 hours for groups of up to 20-30 people at €150 plus zoo admission.
• Animal Encounters Premium behind-the-scenes encounters with animals (Tiger Encounter €490/group, Monkey Encounter €450/group, Camel Encounter €390/group, Mongoose Encounter), each including zoo entry with €50 donated to conservation.
• Wildlife Hospital Services (Villieläinsairaala) Finland's largest wildlife hospital providing professional care for injured and orphaned wild animals, with the goal of returning healthy animals to nature.
• Nature School Arkki (Luontokoulu Arkki) Environmental education program certified at the highest level by the Finnish Nature and Environment School Network LYKE as a development center, offering curriculum-aligned learning for school groups.
• School Group Programs Educational programs for Finnish school groups (grades 1-9 and upper secondary science groups) with free admission October-April and discounted rates May-September when pre-booked.
• Early Childhood Education Programs Free admission for pre-registered Finnish daycare, preschool, and family daycare groups year-round, with guided tours and rental huts available for additional fees.
• Meeting Rooms and Event Spaces On-site meeting and event venues including Paanu meeting room (up to 40 guests, opened 2025), Björnborg meeting room (up to 70 guests), Restaurant Pukki (up to 70 guests), Korpi-kåta (up to 15), and Björn-kåta (up to 25).
• Team Days and Group Visits Group visit packages with tiered pricing (€22/adult for 10-29 people down to €18 for 1000+) plus optional meeting packages at €72-78/person (half-day or full-day).
• Business Tickets Corporate ticket packages sold in bulk with a minimum of 30 tickets, priced €15.86-18.50+VAT depending on volume tier (30-99, 100-499, 500-999, 1000+).
• Donations Platform Online donation platform for wildlife conservation supporting specific projects or general biodiversity protection, with one-time (€10-50) and monthly (€5-50) donation options, processed under fundraising permit RA/2020/1648.
• Custom Fundraising Campaigns Platform for creating personalized fundraising pages for birthdays, celebrations, or special occasions, with proceeds going directly to the Wildlife Hospital.
• Zoo Shop On-site retail shop near the zoo entrance, open daily and one hour longer than the zoo, selling souvenirs and merchandise.
• Restaurants and Cafes On-site food and beverage service including Restaurant Pukki (buffet), Bistro & Café Bron, Restaurant Karhu (bear viewing terrace), and Jungle Juice Bar (summer smoothies), operated by Marcante Oy.
• Summer Camps Summer day camps for children featuring crafts, nature exploration, and wildlife-themed activities.
• Maailmanpelastajat Escape Room World Saviors escape room game experience combining wildlife conservation themes with puzzle-solving.
• Birthday Parties Celebration packages for children's birthdays held at the zoo.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jungle Juice BarminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Finnish smoothie chain donating €1 per Tropical Tamarin smoothie to golden lion tamarin conservation through Korkeasaari (2024). Also has summer sales point at zoo and sells in biodegradable containers.
• SDF (Swedish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joined in 2021 to strengthen Nordic zoo cooperation. SDF monitors member zoos through inspections and helps them improve. Primarily Swedish members plus Korkeasaari and two Norwegian zoos.
• Comfort Hotel SellominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Supported Wildlife Hospital since 2018 by donating 10% of plush toy lynx sales proceeds. Part of Strawberry brand committed to green values including water/energy efficiency and waste reduction.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Accepted as member in 2016. Also part of Finnish IUCN Committee. World's oldest and largest conservation network, responsible for Red List of Threatened Species and CITES convention.
• FazerminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1996Cooperation began in 1996 and continues. Fazer makes annual donations to Korkeasaari's conservation projects. Founder Karl Fazer was a nature enthusiast, especially knowledgeable about birds.
• EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Founding member since 1992, audited member continuously. Korkeasaari holds leadership roles including species committee memberships, working group participation, and EEP program species coordination. Network coordinates breeding and transfers of ~300 member zoos to prevent inbreeding and maintain genetic diversity.
• WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember both directly and through EAZA membership. Korkeasaari represents Europe as member of WAZA Council and is part of the WAZA Communications Committee. Umbrella organization for regional zoo associations.
• Species360coreTechnology or IntegrationInternational organization maintaining ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System), the world's largest animal database. Information stored on over 10 million animals including Korkeasaari's current and historical animals.
• Barbary Macaque Awareness and Conservation (BMAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for Barbary macaque protection.
• Pallas's cat International Conservation Alliance (PICA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for Pallas's cat (manul) protection.
• Red Panda NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for red panda protection.
• Snow Leopard TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for snow leopard protection. Korkeasaari conducts research on snow leopard movements in mountains.
• Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational conservation organization partner for nature protection in Finland.
• Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for vulture species protection.
• Wild Camel Protection Foundation (WCPF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for wild Bactrian camel protection.
• WildCats Conservation AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation project partner for wild cat species protection.
• Marcante OyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant services operator at Korkeasaari. Operates Restaurang Pukki, Bistro Bron, Restaurang Karhu, and summer kiosks.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Copenhagen Zoo: Major Nordic European zoo with strong research and breeding programs and EAZA membership. Comparable in temperate-climate operations, educational programming and conservation partnerships.
• Stockholm Skansen: Sweden's open-air museum and zoo on an island in Stockholm, also part of the Swedish zoo association (SDF) of which Korkeasaari is a member. Highly comparable heritage zoological attraction with year-round education programming.
• Edinburgh Zoo: Major UK conservation-focused charity zoo operating the RZSS, with similar EAZA breeding program leadership and education mission. Comparable operating model and Nordic-adjacent climate exposure.
• Chester Zoo: One of Europe's largest conservation-driven not-for-profit zoos, operating extensive species collections and international field-conservation programs. Directly comparable in mission scale, EAZA membership, and education/animal welfare leadership.

Others

• LYKE (Finnish Nature and Environment School Network): Umbrella association of certified Finnish nature schools, at whose highest level Korkeasaari's Arkki operates. Comparable as a stakeholder in the formal environment-education ecosystem connecting nature schools and curriculum-aligned programs.

Broad incumbents

• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: One of the largest not-for-profit zoo/conservation organizations globally, operating an extensive species collection and field programs worldwide. Comparable as a broad incumbent in zoo-led conservation leadership.
• Berlin Zoological Garden: One of the world's oldest and largest zoological collections with global EAZA/WAZA leadership. Comparable as a broad incumbent European zoo with conservation, education and breeding programs at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Tallinn Zoo: Estonia's largest zoo with EAZA membership and similar Northern European species collection and education focus. Functions as a neighboring Baltic zoo serving a related regional visitor base.
• Kolmården Wildlife Park: Sweden's largest zoo and safari park, also an SDF member. Comparable in Nordic wildlife tourism, family attraction positioning and conservation mission, though with a more theme-park-leaning format.
• Ranua Wildlife Park: Finland's northernmost zoo specializing in Arctic and Nordic species. A Finnish counterpart serving a different geography but comparable as a Finnish wildlife-attraction operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/korkeasaarizoo
• Xx.com/Korkeasaari
• Facebookfacebook.com/korkeasaarenelaintarha

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Korkeasaari Zoo