Aspinall Foundation

What Aspinall Foundation does

The Aspinall Foundation is a UK-registered conservation charity founded in 1984, with its registered address at Port Lympne Reserve near Ashford, Kent. It works in partnership with two award-winning wild animal parks — Howletts Wild Animal Park (90 acres, near Canterbury) and Port Lympne Reserve (600 acres, near Ashford) — which together house over 1,300 animals across more than 120 species, including the UK's largest herd of African elephants and the world's largest breeding group of Western Lowland gorillas in human care. The parks are designed as breeding sanctuaries rather than conventional zoos, with large naturalistic enclosures, on-site veterinary laboratories, specialist diets, and daily enrichment programmes. The foundation manages studbooks for Javan gibbons, clouded leopards, bush dogs and painted dogs, and has successfully bred over 40 black rhinos and 140+ gorillas across the parks.

The foundation operates the Back To The Wild rewilding programme, under which captive-bred western lowland gorillas, black rhinos, Javan langurs and gibbons, European bison, and clouded leopards have been returned to protected wilderness areas in their native habitats, where they are now breeding. Active international projects run in Congo, Gabon, Java, Madagascar, Romania, and South Africa (including a 163-vulture translocation), with financial support also directed to projects in India and Cambodia. Protected areas in Congo and Gabon span approximately one million acres.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of visitor-facing trading activities and charitable giving. Income streams include day visit tickets and annual memberships for one or both parks, multi-award-winning short break accommodation at Port Lympne (glamping, hotel, treehouses, cottages), paid animal experiences (safaris, keeper encounters), symbolic animal adoptions, retail merchandise, weddings and events (via trading subsidiary Howletts and Port Lympne Estates Ltd), and donations including Gift Aid, payroll giving, and legacies. Distribution channels include direct park admissions, online booking, a dedicated Tesco Clubcard voucher redemption portal, and an online adoption shop. The foundation also receives institutional grant funding from partners including the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and IUCN Save Our Species for specific conservation projects.

Name

Aspinall Foundation

Legal name

The Aspinall Foundation

Website

https://aspinallfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Aspinall Foundation is a UK conservation charity founded in 1984 that operates Howletts and Port Lympne wild animal parks as breeding sanctuaries and runs international rewilding programmes returning captive-bred endangered species to native habitats across multiple continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Animal breeding programs
• Wild animal parks
• Charitable fundraising programs
• Zoological park management

Headquarters

HQ city

Lympne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Park Admissions: Revenue from day visit tickets, annual passes, and memberships to Howletts Wild Animal Park and Port Lympne Reserve. Visitors can upgrade tickets to annual passes on entry. Members receive benefits including 10% off restaurants, behind-the-scenes adventures, and exclusive talks.
2. Short Break Accommodation: Multi-award winning accommodation at Port Lympne including glamping, 4-star hotel, treehouses, shepherds huts, and cottages. All profits from short breaks directly fund conservation work.
3. Animal Experiences: Paid experiences including safaris, keeper encounters, Keeper for a Day, and other animal-focused activities at the parks.
4. Animal Adoptions: Virtual animal adoption programmes where supporters adopt named animals as figureheads for species conservation. Adoption packs delivered by post with ongoing conservation updates.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations from visitors (10% added to ticket price by default), direct donations, payroll giving, and legacies. Gift Aid claimed on eligible donations.
6. Events and Weddings: Wedding venues and event hosting at Port Lympne's facilities.
7. Retail and Merchandise: Gift shops at both parks selling merchandise. Adopt an animal online shop.
8. Corporate Partnerships: Tesco Clubcard vouchers accepted for admission tickets through a dedicated booking portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Aspinall Foundation is an animal conservation charity that funds and manages breeding sanctuaries at Howletts Wild Animal Park and Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, alongside international rewilding projects. Its core activity is returning captive-bred endangered species to protected wilderness areas through the Back To The Wild programme, funded by visitor park admissions, memberships, accommodation, animal adoptions, and donations.

Product overview

The Aspinall Foundation is an internationally renowned animal conservation charity founded in 1984, operating two award-winning partner parks in Kent — Howletts Wild Animal Park (90 acres, 390+ animals) and Port Lympne Reserve (600 acres, 900 animals) — alongside international conservation projects in Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, and Java. Its core product portfolio centres on visitor-facing wildlife experiences (day tickets, memberships, animal encounters, and safaris) at its partner parks, supported by short-break accommodation at Port Lympne. Fundraising products include symbolic animal adoptions and donations, all used to finance the Foundation's breeding, rewilding, and reintroduction programmes. The parks function as breeding sanctuaries rather than conventional zoos, and all visitor revenue directly funds the charity's global conservation work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Back To The Wild: Initiative focused on returning captive bred animals to protected wilderness areas and reserves in their native habitats
• Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve

Products and services

• Howletts Wild Animal Park A 90-acre award-winning wild animal park near Canterbury, Kent, home to over 390 animals across 52 species, including the UK's largest herd of African elephants and the world's largest breeding group of Western Lowland gorillas. Designed as a breeding sanctuary rather than a conventional zoo.
• Port Lympne Reserve A 600-acre coastal wildlife reserve near Ashford, Kent, featuring the African and Asian Experience Safari spanning over 100 acres, housing approximately 900 animals across 75 species including Barbary lions and the world's largest collection of Margay cats.
• Port Lympne Short Breaks Multi-award-winning accommodation at Port Lympne ranging from glamping to a 4-star hotel and unique treehouse stays, offering an authentic safari experience in the UK.
• Park Memberships Annual park membership tickets offering unlimited entry for 12 months, 10% off restaurants and cafes, behind-the-scenes adventures, exclusive member talks, a free glossy guide book, and a quarterly newsletter.
• Animal Adoptions Symbolic animal adoption schemes where supporters adopt named figurehead animals; funds support the Foundation's conservation work including rewilding, animal care, ecosystem protection, and community education programmes.
• Keeper for a Day and Animal Encounters Keeper for a Day and animal encounter experiences offering close interactions with animals at Howletts and Port Lympne, led by expert keepers under strict safety supervision.
• Safari Experiences Ranger-led safari rides at Port Lympne, where guests can experience an African safari without international travel, exploring the park's 100+ acre African and Asian Experience Safari area.
• Education Programme Interactive learning sessions and student research projects at the Kent parks, free animal talks, and educational materials for local schools and overseas conservation communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 black rhinos and 140+ gorillas bred between both parks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Howletts Wild Animal ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHowletts Wild Animal Park is The Aspinall Foundation's partner park, operating as a breeding sanctuary for rare and endangered animals. Founded by Mr Aspinall in 1958, it spans 90 acres and is home to over 390 animals across 52 species, including the UK's largest herd of African elephants and the world's largest breeding group of western lowland gorillas.
• Port Lympne ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort Lympne Reserve is The Aspinall Foundation's partner park, purchased in 1973 to house the expanding animal population from Howletts. Spanning 600 acres, it houses approximately 900 animals across 75 species, including the Palace of the Apes, Barbary lions, and the world's largest collection of Margay cats.
• The Howletts Wild Animal TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister charity that runs Howletts Wild Animal Park and Port Lympne Reserve. Registered charity number 1100845 in England and Wales. Shares common governance and data protection oversight with The Aspinall Foundation.
• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for conservation projects in Madagascar, specifically supporting the CAZ West project for climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry transition, and the Andriantantely project for rainforest conservation and community engagement.
• IUCN Save Our SpeciesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner supporting conservation projects in Madagascar, including the Andriantantely project for rainforest conservation work with local communities.
• Tesco ClubcardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership allowing Tesco Clubcard members to redeem vouchers for admission tickets to Howletts and Port Lympne through a dedicated booking portal on the Tesco website.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chester Zoo: The UK's largest wildlife attraction, operating a major zoo with extensive captive breeding and an in-house conservation science division funding field projects. Directly comparable visitor + conservation model.
• Twycross Zoo: UK conservation zoo with primate and great ape breeding specialism and education programmes. Directly competes for similar visitor segments and shares ape-focused breeding capability.
• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS): Operates Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park with a stated mission of connecting people with wildlife and conserving species. Comparable UK zoo + conservation charity combination.
• Woburn Safari Park: Drive-through safari and walk-through animal experiences in Bedfordshire with conservation breeding. Direct competitor for the safari segment of Port Lympne's offering.
• Zoological Society of London (ZSL): Operates London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo while running an international conservation programme with field projects across ~50 countries. Directly comparable in model — breeding zoos funding in-situ conservation — and significantly larger in scale, providing a benchmark for how a UK zoo-and-conservation entity can build global scientific authority.
• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: Jersey-based charity explicitly built around captive breeding for reintroduction — the closest functional analog to the Aspinall rewilding model. Manages several species recovery programmes and operates a visitor park.
• West Midland Safari Park: UK safari/zoo park with on-site accommodation and experiences, conservation involvement, and breeding programmes. Closest competitor in safari-style UK wildlife experience.
• Marwell Zoo (Marwell Wildlife): UK conservation zoo (Hampshire) running international field programmes focused on endangered species recovery. Highly comparable operating model with a smaller visitor footprint than Aspinall.
• Longleat Safari Park: Long-running UK safari park with lion reserve and on-site accommodation. Comparable high-end experience + animal collection at a similar scale.

Broad incumbents

• Fauna & Flora International (FFI): World's oldest wildlife conservation charity, operating globally without zoos. Comparable conservation and rewilding/species recovery work from a purely field-based funding model, representing the broader peer set for international programme work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aspinallcharity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KentAnimalPark
• Facebookfacebook.com/theaspinallfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/theaspinallfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Aspinall Foundation