Auchingarrich wildlife centre

What Auchingarrich wildlife centre does

Auchingarrich Wildlife Park Ltd is a registered Scottish charity (OSCR registration SC053939) operating a single-site wildlife and adventure park in Comrie, Perthshire. The park houses over 40 animal species across geographic zones (Australia, Asia, Africa, Farm Yard, South America, UK), with a recently added Australia zone as a notable recent expansion. Core offerings include admission tickets, paid 4-hour Keeper Days and 30-minute Animal Experiences across species such as Black & White Ruffed Lemurs, Asian Short Claw Otters, Scottish Wild Cats, Meerkats, Wallabies, and Pygmy Goats, plus complementary attractions including Adventure Land (outdoor play), Soft Play Barn, Busy Beaks aviary walkthrough, Petting Zoo, Birthday Parties, and Wild Camping. On-site F&B is provided through Dizzy Duck Cafe, and a separate Online Gift Store extends branded merchandise (soft toys, books, clothing, homeware, artisan goods) to a D2C e-commerce audience.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model targeting families, children, animal enthusiasts, and dog owners, monetising through a diversified mix of transactional revenue streams: ticket sales, animal encounter fees, retail merchandise, food and beverage, charitable donations, and ticketed seasonal events including Christmas Wonderland, Brunch with Santa, Mud Monsters, Spot the Otter Hunt, Sunflower Competition, and the twice-yearly Clarty Paws dog obstacle challenge. Go-to-market is event-driven and seasonal, supported by a website booking platform, Instagram presence, email newsletter, and aggregator partnerships (Groupon/Itison). Operational partnerships include a veterinary services supplier (Forth Valley Vets) and infrastructure partners (Aggregates Direct, Andrew Tainsh) who co-developed a custom meerkat burrow system using drainage pipes and inspection chambers. Distribution is single-country domestic (Scotland/UK), with brand recognition anchored by the Scottish Hospitality Awards Best Family Venue and Pitchup.com Top Rated awards in 2023 and 2025.

There is no disclosed revenue, no external funding rounds, no parent company, and no AI/technology platform layer; the operation is a traditional physical visitor attraction with a charity governance structure. Pricing is per-transaction pay-as-you-go with seasonal passes available, and children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The company's competitive moat rests primarily on intangible assets (charity status, consumer awards, brand trust) and the efficient scale of a regional multi-zone asset rather than on proprietary technology or scale advantages.

Name

Auchingarrich wildlife centre

Legal name

Auchingarrich Wildlife Park Ltd

Website

https://auchingarrich.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Auchingarrich Wildlife Park Ltd is a registered Scottish charity operating a single-site wildlife and adventure park in Comrie, Perthshire, housing 40+ animal species and monetising through admission tickets, paid animal experiences, retail, on-site F&B, and seasonal events for families and general public visitors across Scotland and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Park and Visitor Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

Keywords

• Wildlife park admissions
• Animal experiences
• Family visitor attraction
• Seasonal events venue
• Zoo keeper days

Headquarters

HQ city

Comrie

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Admission fees for park entry with various ticket types including standard admission, annual passes, and group bookings.
2. Animal Experiences: Paid keeper days (4 hours) and 30-minute animal encounters with various species including lemurs, otters, wildcats, meerkats, emus, rheas, wallabies, donkeys, and pygmy goats.
3. Retail/Gift Shop: Online gift store and on-site shop selling branded merchandise, soft toys, books, clothing, homeware, food items, and artisan products.
4. Food and Beverage: Dizzy Duck Cafe serving hot food, cakes, and hot drinks. Also offers event catering such as Brunch with Santa.
5. Donations: Charitable donations to support animal sanctuary operations, enclosures, and animal welfare.
6. Special Events: Ticketed seasonal events including Christmas Wonderland (Santa visits, woodland theatre performances), Brunch with Santa, and themed family activities.
7. Clarty Paws Challenge: Obstacle course events for dogs and owners, with participant fees including event entry and free park access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre operates a wildlife and adventure park in Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland, housing over 40 animal species across geographic zones (Australia, Asia, Africa, Farm Yard, South America, UK). The park sells admission tickets and paid animal experiences including 4-hour Keeper Days and 30-minute Animal Encounters, alongside adventure play areas, a petting zoo, a cafe, an aviary walkthrough, wild camping, and a retail gift store, complemented by seasonal ticketed events.

Product overview

Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre operates as a wildlife park and adventure destination in Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. The core offering is a zoo featuring over 40 animal species across geographic zones (Australia, Asia, Africa, Farm Yard, South America, and UK), complemented by paid enhancement modules including animal experiences (Keeper Days lasting 4 hours and 30-minute Animal Experiences), Adventure Land outdoor play, Soft Play Barn, Busy Beaks aviary, Petting Zoo, Birthday Parties, and Wild Camping. On-site dining is provided through Dizzy Duck Cafe. The park also maintains an e-commerce Online Gift Store selling branded merchandise across categories (soft toys, books, games, clothing, jewellery, homeware, food/beverages, bath products, pet supplies). Seasonal events including Christmas Wonderland, Brunch with Santa, Clarty Paws Challenge, Mud Monsters, Spot the Otter Hunt, and Sunflower Competition drive additional revenue. The company is registered as a charity (SC053939).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dizzy Duck Cafe: On-site cafe offering hot food, cake, and hot drinks located within the wildlife park.
• Adventure Land
• Busy Beaks
• Wild Camping
• Christmas Wonderland
• Clarty Paws Challenge

Products and services

• Auchingarrich Wildlife Park (Zoo and Adventure Park) Wildlife park and adventure park with over 40 animal species across Australia, Asia, Africa, Farm Yard, South America, and UK zones, offering animal encounters, educational workshops, and seasonal events for families.
• Zoo Keeper Experience (4-Hour) Half-day paid experience where participants undertake daily keeper routines including feeding animals, mucking out enclosures, and grooming, running from 12pm to 4pm.
• Animal Experience (30 Minutes) 30-minute paid session offering close encounters with Black & White Ruffed Lemurs, Asian Short Claw Otters, Wildcats, Meerkats, Emus, Rheas, Parma Wallabies, Donkeys, and Pygmy Goats, including feeding opportunities.
• Petting Zoo Animal handling area in the Hatchery where children can interact with chicks, guinea pigs, rabbits, and tortoises, learning about animal care.
• Adventure Land Outdoor adventure play area featuring various obstacles and activities for children and families.
• Soft Play Barn Indoor soft play area for children, ensuring activities are available regardless of weather conditions.
• Busy Beaks (Aviary Walkthrough) Aviary walkthrough experience where visitors can see and interact with birds up close.
• Dizzy Duck Cafe On-site cafe offering hot food, cake, and hot drinks; open from 11am-4pm daily with longer hours on Fridays, Saturdays, and during school holidays.
• Birthday Parties Birthday party packages available at the wildlife park for children and families.
• Wild Camping Camping facilities available at the park for visitors; free camping offered to CIC or charity clubs/associations in exchange for 2 hours of work.
• Online Gift Store E-commerce platform selling branded merchandise including soft toys, books, games, clothing, accessories, jewellery, homeware, art, food and beverages, bath products, and pet supplies, available for delivery or pick-up.
• Christmas Wonderland Enchanted Christmas event featuring performances by Elf characters, Santa's grotto, Mrs Claus Cookie Cabin, and festive activities; priced £49.95 per child (believers) with adults and non-believers admitted free.
• Brunch with Santa Festive brunch event from 2nd-24th December offering child brunch at £12.99 and adult brunch at £7.99, including a personal meeting with Santa and a small gift.
• Clarty Paws Challenge 2.5k or 5k obstacle course run/walk for owners and their dogs, held in March and September, featuring Mud Mountain, Dirty Dyke, Pit of Doom, and Slip Slip Away obstacles, with complimentary T-shirt, medal, free photos, dirty dog hotdog, and free park entry.
• Mud Monsters Family fun mud run event held at the wildlife park.
• Spot the Otter Hunt Otter-themed workshop and activity event at the wildlife park.
• Sunflower Competition Annual sunflower growing competition for visitors at the wildlife park.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Aggregates DirectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of 4 bulk bags of super soft playpit grade sand used for meerkat enclosure renovations and drainage improvements.
• Andrew TainshminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrainage specialist who helped design and construct the custom meerkat burrow system using pipes and drainage inspection chambers.
• Forth Valley VetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterinary practice providing treatment for park animals including Rhea veterinary care for swollen knee joint investigation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edinburgh Zoo: Scotland's flagship zoo operated by RZSS with much larger species collection and brand recognition. Broader incumbent in same category and geography but at significantly larger scale.
• Flamingo Land: UK theme park and zoo hybrid offering zoo, theme park rides, and holiday village. Broader incumbent combining wildlife collection with amusement park operations.

Direct peers

• The Big Cat Sanctuary: UK wildlife sanctuary focused on big cats with VIP experience offerings and conservation focus. Comparable wildlife sanctuary with paid experience model and charity/community angle.
• Five Sisters Zoo: Independent wildlife park in West Lothian, Scotland operating at similar scale with comparable mix of animal encounters, family activities, and charity/community positioning.
• Folly Farm: Welsh family attraction combining zoo, farm, and adventure play. Closely comparable multi-revenue-stream model with wildlife encounters, paid experiences, F&B, and seasonal events.
• Blair Drummond Safari Park: Long-established Scottish safari and wildlife park near Stirling. Comparable family-focused wildlife attraction in Scotland though with larger scale and drive-through safari component.
• West Midland Safari Park: UK safari and wildlife park combining drive-through safari with walk-through reserves, theme park rides, and events. Comparable multi-revenue family attraction format.
• Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Large UK wildlife park with walk-through animal reserves and family attractions. Comparable business model combining wildlife collection with adventure play, food, and events.
• Highland Wildlife Park: RZSS-operated wildlife park in the Scottish Highlands with similar species collection and visitor experience focus. Most directly comparable UK wildlife park peer given Scottish geography and mid-size collection.

Regional players

• Amazonia Scotland: Scotland-based animal encounter experience company offering hands-on animal sessions. Comparable regional Scotland operator in the paid animal experience category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auchingarrich-wildlife-centre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Auchingarrich wildlife centre