Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary

What Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary does

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit zoological sanctuary operating on 10 acres at 1403 Heritage Park Road in Prescott, Arizona, since 1988. The organization provides refuge to 200+ non-releasable, rescued wildlife and assists with over 300 wildlife rescues per year, with active participation in the AZA Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf. It generates revenue through a diversified mix including general admission and memberships (Individual $50, Couple $80, Family $125, Business tiers $500-$1,200 per year), venue rentals for events and weddings (six venues sized from 25 to 300 guests), VIP experiences (Keeper for a Day $250, private tours $125-$225), animal adoptions at five tiers ($100-$750), Zoo Camp ($250-$300 per week), special events (Zoo by Moonlight, Evening with the Animals, WildLights), corporate sponsorships, and donations. The sanctuary also conducts education and conservation programs including school field trips, ZooLittles preschool programming (ages 3-5), outreach sessions, and field research partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, AZ Game and Fish Department, and Yavapai County Rural Advisory Committee. Its primary customer segments are families with children and K-12 schools in the Prescott Quad-cities region, supplemented by private event organizers and local corporate partners.

The organization operates with a small paid staff of approximately 11-50 employees including Executive Director Pam McLaren and Deputy Director Raquel Gardner, supplemented by a structured docent training program, a ZooTeens volunteer pipeline for ages 13-17, and multi-department volunteers across Gift Shop, Living Collections, Education, Facilities, Marketing/Events, and Administration. Distribution and sales are conducted primarily through walk-in gate sales and the FareHarbor online booking platform (covering tickets, memberships, events, VIP experiences, and camp registration), with no proprietary technology platform, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Marketing is community-driven: docents, ZooTeens ambassadors, the Wild Impressions quarterly newsletter to 1,500+ supporters, AZ Gives Day participation, Fry's Community Rewards (#PW336), and 13+ named corporate sponsors (including NOAH Thrift Store, Patriot Disposal, Swire Coca-Cola, Prescott Animal Hospital, Waste Management, Findlay Toyota Prescott, and Allied Electric). Heritage Park receives no city, state, or federal operating funding, relying entirely on community contributions for operations and conservation programs.

Name

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary

Legal name

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary

Website

https://heritageparkzoo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit zoological sanctuary in Prescott, Arizona, founded in 1988, that provides refuge to 200+ non-releasable rescued animals, runs conservation and education programs, and serves Prescott-area families, schools, and private event clients through admissions, memberships, venue rentals, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Education Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife sanctuary services
• Zoo admission tickets
• Animal adoption programs
• Conservation education programs
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Prescott

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission & Memberships: Primary revenue stream. Visitors pay admission fees for daily access. Memberships (Individual $50/yr, Couple $80/yr, Family $125/yr, Business tiers $500-$1,200/yr) provide free admission, discounts, and newsletter. HPZS also offers dual membership with Highlands Center for Natural History for $155.
2. VIP Experiences & Paid Programs: Keeper for a Day ($250/person), Jr. Keeper for a Day ($200), Private Behind-the-Scenes Tour ($125/person, 90 min), Private Guided Tour/Animal Presentation ($225, max 9 guests), private Breakfast/Evening with the Animals events. Zoo Camp tuition $250 members / $300 non-members. ZooLittles preschool program $18 members / $20 non-members. Educational programs, field trips, and outreach sessions sold to schools and groups.
3. Venue Rentals: Facilities rented for private events: Kiwanis Ramada (up to 30 guests), Zoo Garden (up to 25), Pronghorn Deck (30), Half Pence Pavilion (50), Whole Pence Pavilion (100), Event Center Lawn (up to 300). Wedding packages: Wallaby Package (up to 100 guests), Tiger Package (up to 300), Peacock Package (up to 300 with both lawn and pavilion). Birthday party rentals across multiple venues.
4. Animal Adoptions: Symbolic animal adoptions at tiered levels: Bronze $100, Silver $150, Gold $200, Platinum $500, Diamond $750. Adopters receive photo, certificate, fact sheet, plaque on enclosure, and invitation to Adoptive Parents' Night. Animal adoption is also bundled into business membership tiers.
5. Special Events: Special ticketed events including Zoo by Moonlight ($10 members / $12 non-members), Evening with the Animals ($35 adults / $20 child), Sip and Paint ($45, 21+), Wet and Wild Day (free for members, included with paid admission), ZooFest, Boo at the Zoo, Thanksgiving with the Lemurs, WildLights holiday display ($12 special admission), and Breakfast with the Animals. Event sponsorships from local businesses supplement revenue.
6. Sponsorships, Grants & Donations: Corporate sponsorship tiers with banner placement, logo on website, animal adoption, free admission passes, and gift shop discounts for sponsors. Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit receiving no city, state, or federal funding, relying on community contributions. Fry's Community Rewards program directs grocery spending to the organization. AZ Gives Day participation. Grant funding from Prescott National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, and Yavapai County Rural Advisory Committee (RAC) under the Secure Rural Schools Act for conservation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary operates a 10-acre non-profit wildlife sanctuary that provides permanent refuge to non-releasable rescued animals while delivering conservation education and family recreation. It generates revenue through daily admissions, annual memberships, VIP animal experiences, summer camps, preschool programs, venue rentals for private events, symbolic animal adoptions, special ticketed events, and philanthropic donations and sponsorships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ sanctuary animals cared for annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prescott National Forest / U.S. Forest Service / Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPZS's Animal Conservation Program is made possible by the Prescott National Forest of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-determination Act of 2000. HPZS stations volunteers at five Prescott-area lakes for Bald Eagle nest watch, reporting to USFS and AZ Game and Fish. Peregrine falcon monitoring data is forwarded to USFS for management of local breeding sites. The sanctuary also assists with black-footed ferret field research at the Arizona release site, with data collected provided to relevant agencies.
• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPZS reports Bald Eagle sighting and nesting activity to AZ Game and Fish for inclusion in the state-wide census. The sanctuary is keeper of the AZ Game and Fish 'Bone Box' (pelts and skulls of Arizona native species with lesson plans and teacher resources) which is free to borrow for educational purposes.
• AZ Gives Day / AZGives.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHPZS is a proud participant in AZ Gives Day, an annual statewide online giving event. Donations accepted year-round through azgives.org/HPZS.
• Highlands Center for Natural HistorycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHPZS offers a dual Family Membership valid at both Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary AND Highlands Center for Natural History for $155 per year, providing full membership benefits at both institutions. This partnership expands recreational and educational offerings for members of both organizations.
• Panera BreadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPanera Bread is a sponsor of the Evening with the Animals event at HPZS, providing event support and visibility.
• NOAH Thrift StoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsorship banner displayed on HPZS website. Community sponsor.
• Patriot Disposal IncminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsorship banner displayed on HPZS website. Eagle-level community sponsor.
• Swire Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsorship banner displayed on HPZS website. Concessions supplier for events.
• Prescott Animal Hospital & Equine CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsorship banner displayed on HPZS website. Veterinary partner.
• ROX MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for WildLights holiday display and Holiday Cheers Weekend.
• Waste ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for WildLights holiday display.
• Allied ElectricminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Fall ZooFest. Corporate sponsorship.
• Findlay Toyota PrescottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Breakfast with the Animals.
• AZA (American Zoo and Aquarium Association) Species Survival PlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPZS participates in the AZA Species Survival Plan for the critically endangered Mexican Gray Wolf. The sanctuary serves as a holding facility for wolves not yet ready for release into the wild reintroduction program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Zoo: The largest privately-owned nonprofit zoo in the US, located in the same Arizona market. Operates as an AZA-accredited zoological park with similar family-recreation, conservation, and education programs, and represents the dominant scale competitor for visitors within driving distance of Prescott.
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: AZA-accredited zoological institution in Tucson combining zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum. Closely comparable as a regional Arizona nonprofit combining animal exhibits, native species focus, and education programming.
• Keepers of the Wild: Animal sanctuary in Valentine, Arizona providing permanent refuge for exotic and native wildlife. Highly comparable in mission (non-releasable wildlife sanctuary), operational model, and visitor experience offerings.
• Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center: Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary in Scottsdale, Arizona focused on native species. Direct peer given HPZS's 300+ annual rescues and sanctuary mission, with similar nonprofit funding model and volunteer dependence.
• Out of Africa Wildlife Park: Wildlife park in Camp Verde, Arizona offering animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, and conservation education. Highly comparable in its mix of sanctuary-style animal housing, VIP experiences, and family day-out positioning in the same state.
• Reid Park Zoo: AZA-accredited small-city zoo in Tucson, Arizona, similar in size and scale to HPZS. Comparable as a municipal/community zoo relying on admissions, memberships, and donations with a strong conservation and education mission.
• Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park: Large Arizona zoological attraction in Litchfield Park offering animal exhibits, aquarium, and safari experiences. Comparable as a for-profit-leaning Arizona wildlife attraction competing for the same family day-trip segment.
• Highlands Center for Natural History: Local natural history education center in Prescott with a formal dual-membership partnership with HPZS. Highly comparable as a nearby nature-based education and conservation nonprofit sharing the same supporter base.

Emerging players

• International Exotic Animal Sanctuary: Texas-based exotic cat sanctuary. Comparable as a large-cat and exotic wildlife sanctuary with similar non-releasable animal care mission and nonprofit donor-supported model, useful benchmark for sanctuary-side scaling.

Regional players

• Navajo Nation Zoo: Native-owned zoological institution in Window Rock, Arizona. Comparable as a small-scale regional zoo with conservation and education focus, though serving a different geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/prescottzoo
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heritage-park-zoo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary