Wild Life Group Limited

What Wild Life Group Limited does

Wild Life Group Limited operates Yorkshire Wildlife Park, a 150-acre walk-through wildlife attraction and integrated resort in South Yorkshire, England, founded in 2008. The core business is park admission across 15 distinct habitat zones housing 400+ animals from 70+ species, including signature collections of Amur Leopards, Black Rhinos, Polar Bears (the largest collection in England), Amur Tigers, African Lions, and Gelada Monkeys. The asset base has been progressively built out since 2008 to include purpose-built enclosures such as Project Polar (10 acres, the largest polar bear centre outside Canada), Leopard Heights (the largest Amur Leopard facility in Europe, BIAZA award-winning), and Lion Country (7 acres across three reserves). The business model combines a one-time admission ticket layer (£23.99+), recurring Gold and Standard memberships from £86.99, tiered premium animal experiences (£195–£600 for platinum-tier encounters), overnight accommodation at the Hex Wildlife Hotel (from £90 per person per break), free-footfall retail and dining at The Yorkshire Hive village, venue hire, and seasonal events including the Wild Live outdoor concert series and Winter Illuminations.

Technology and operations are run on a standard stack for the vertical: an in-house online booking and ticketing platform (bookings.yorkshirewildlifepark.com), Mailchimp for email marketing, the industry-standard ZIMS Zoological Information Management Software (shared with 1,100+ zoos globally for species and animal records), and a website built by Semantic. The company sells direct-to-consumer through its own booking site, on-site admissions, and an e-commerce shop, supplemented by travel-trade resellers; the geographic footprint is a single UK site, though conservation grant-making via the affiliated WildLife Foundation charity (registered 1152642) extends globally, including partnerships with Cheetah Conservation Fund (Somaliland), Ripple Africa (Malawi), Fauna & Flora International (Kenya), Polar Bears International, and Save the Rhino.

Management includes John Minion as CEO and a specialised animal-care leadership team covering carnivores, primates, and hoofstock, supported by external veterinary services from Beechwood Veterinary Hospital and the International Zoo Veterinary Group. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or subsidiary structure, and operates under BIAZA, EAZA, and WAZA accreditations that gate participation in species breeding programmes such as EEP for Gelada monkeys. No revenue, headcount, or ownership-stake figures are publicly disclosed in the available data.

Name

Wild Life Group Limited

Legal name

Yorkshire Wildlife Park Ltd.

Website

https://www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Wild Life Group Limited operates Yorkshire Wildlife Park, a 150-acre walk-through wildlife attraction and integrated resort in South Yorkshire serving families, school groups, corporate clients, and overnight guests via park admissions, premium animal experiences, Hex Wildlife Hotel stays, Yorkshire Hive retail/dining, memberships, and conservation-linked programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Park and Zoological Attractions

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Wildlife park attractions
• Zoo conservation experiences
• Animal encounter tours
• Family leisure resort
• Wildlife hospitality accommodation

Headquarters

HQ city

Doncaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Park entry fees charged to all visitors; primary revenue driver for the wildlife park
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual and recurring Gold and Standard membership passes offering unlimited visits and exclusive benefits
3. Animal Experiences: Premium paid experiences including Carnivore Experience, Polar Bear Experience, Lion Experience, Tiger Experience, Leopard Experience, Rhino Experience, and Primates of Africa Experience
4. Retail Operations: Online gift shop, adoption boxes, gift vouchers, and merchandise sales
5. Accommodation: Hex Wildlife Hotel offering overnight stays with wildlife-themed rooms and suites
6. Venue Hire & Events: Corporate venue hire, Wild Live outdoor concerts, special events, and private bookings
7. Donations & Charitable Giving: WildLife Foundation raises funds through donations, text-to-donate campaigns, and fundraising events to support global conservation projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wild Life Group Limited operates Yorkshire Wildlife Park, a walk-through wildlife adventure park on a 150-acre site in South Yorkshire. Core offerings include park admission, premium paid animal encounter experiences, annual memberships, on-site hotel accommodation, and an integrated shopping and dining village. The business combines zoological conservation, family leisure entertainment, hospitality, and retail at a single resort location, with affiliated WildLife Foundation charity funding international conservation projects.

Product overview

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a walk-through wildlife adventure park operated by Wild Life Group Limited, offering a unified visitor experience combining animal conservation, entertainment, and hospitality. The core offering is park admission to explore 150+ acres of habitats across 15 unique lands including Lion Country, Project Polar, Land of the Tigers, Leopard Heights, Into Africa!, Experience Ethiopia, and Woodland Trail. Premium animal encounter experiences (Carnivore Experience, Polar Bear Experience, Lion Experience, Tiger Experience, Leopard Experience, Rhino Experience, Primates of Africa Experience) are add-on paid upgrades. The resort also includes Hex Wildlife Hotel for overnight stays, The Yorkshire Hive shopping/dining village, Wild Live outdoor concerts, annual memberships, school educational programs, and venue hire services. The affiliated WildLife Foundation charity (1152642) supports international conservation projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Polar: World-class polar bear habitat spanning 10 acres, designed to replicate the Arctic tundra, home to six polar bears. Largest Polar Bear centre outside Canada.
• Lion Country
• Leopard Heights
• Land of the Tigers
• Into Africa!
• Experience Ethiopia
• The Hex Wildlife Hotel
• The Yorkshire Hive
• Wild Live Concerts
• Winter Illuminations

Products and services

• Yorkshire Wildlife Park Admission General admission tickets for entry to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, the UK's no.1 walk-through wildlife adventure on a 150-acre site featuring 15 unique lands and habitats and 400+ animals from 70+ species. Open to families, tourists, and day-trippers.
• Animal Experiences (Premium Encounters) Premium paid behind-the-scenes animal encounter experiences including Carnivore Experience (Platinum), Polar Bear Experience (Platinum), Lion Experience (Gold), Tiger Experience (Gold), Leopard Experience (Gold), Rhino Experience (Gold), and Primates of Africa Experience (Silver). Designed for visitors seeking up-close ranger-led encounters with specific species.
• Gold and Standard Memberships Annual membership passes offering unlimited visits and exclusive benefits. Gold Memberships are the premium tier with enhanced benefits; Standard Memberships start from £86.99 per person. Targeted at frequent visitors and local families.
• Hex Wildlife Hotel On-site hotel accommodation at the Yorkshire Wildlife Resort offering wildlife-themed rooms, suites, and short-break packages starting from £90 per person. Designed for families and short-break tourists seeking overnight stays alongside park admission.
• The Yorkshire Hive Free-admission shopping, dining, and entertainment village adjacent to the park entrance, featuring independent boutiques, artisan products, restaurants, and the Uproar! Play Barn. Open to all visitors without park admission.
• Wild Live Outdoor Concerts Annual summer outdoor concert series featuring live music performances at the wildlife park venue, with the 2026 lineup including Scouting for Girls and Ocean Colour Scene. Targeted at event attendees combining wildlife with live entertainment.
• School Trips and Educational Visits Educational programmes for primary schools, secondary schools, higher and further education, Expedition Day, Expedition Evenings, and Ranger Academy. Curriculum-aligned learning experiences delivered at the park for school and college groups.
• Venue Hire Corporate and private event venue hire at the wildlife park and Hex Wildlife Hotel for functions, celebrations, team-building events, and corporate gatherings.
• Pangea – Discovery of Dinosaurs Jurassic-themed dinosaur discovery attraction within the park where visitors can experience a walk through prehistoric landscapes.
• Online Gift Shop E-commerce store selling gifts, adoption boxes, gift vouchers, and merchandise. Supports delivery options at £4.95 for 5–7 day signed-for delivery and £7.95 for 2–3 day signed-for delivery.
• Animal Adoption Boxes Symbolic animal adoption gift boxes allowing supporters to adopt an animal and contribute to its care, with adoption gift boxes available online.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available for park admission and animal experiences, redeemable through the online booking platform.
• WildLife Foundation Conservation Programme Charity based at the park raising funds for global animal conservation, welfare, and education projects, including lion rescue campaigns and international conservation grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wild populations of African Painted Dogs increased from 500,000 to 5,000 remaining
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025WildLife Foundation partnership providing up to £45,000 over 3 years for Protecting Cheetahs Project in Somaliland; aims to strengthen community-based cheetah conservation and increase sustainable livelihoods.
• Ripple AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022WildLife Foundation three-year grant for Fish for Tomorrow initiative supporting community-led fisheries management in Nkhata Bay and Nkhotakota Districts in Malawi, Africa; aims to protect 736 km of lakeshore.
• BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization for zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland; Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a member benefiting from best practice guidelines, networking, and industry standards for animal management and conservation.
• EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPan-European organization for zoos and aquariums; YWP participates in EAZA Ex Situ Programme (EEP) for species conservation including Gelada monkeys.
• WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal zoo association promoting best practices in animal welfare and conservation; YWP maintains membership for international standards.
• WildLife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity based at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (charity number 1152642) that funds global conservation projects; has raised funds for lion rescues, rhino conservation, cheetah programs, and supports Ripple Africa partnership.
• Visit DoncasterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism organization for Doncaster region; promotes Yorkshire Wildlife Park as a key visitor attraction in the area.
• Doncaster ChamberminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business chamber providing networking, support, and promotional opportunities for member businesses in Doncaster.
• Visitor Attraction Quality AssuredminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQuality assurance scheme for visitor attractions ensuring high standards of visitor experience.
• Fauna and Flora InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildLife Foundation awarded a three-year grant to Fauna and Flora International for Sera Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, helping to secure habitats of African Painted Dogs.
• Polar Bears InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYorkshire Wildlife Park is an official Polar Bears International Ambassador Centre (PBI AAC); aims to lead in educating the public about climate change and reducing carbon emissions; participates in research, education, and conservation programs.
• Save the RhinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildLife Foundation has previously worked with Save the Rhino to support several projects at Ol Jogi conservancy in Kenya.
• Cross Border Animal ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialist animal transport service that transported giraffe Setanta using purpose-built giraffe transporter (only one of its kind in the world); also transported lions from Ukraine.
• International Zoo Veterinary GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialist veterinary group that provides health checks for lions and other animals at the park; conducted full MOT examinations on lion cubs.
• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for polar bear conservation and care; Highland Wildlife Park transferred polar bear Brodie to YWP while enclosures are refurbished.
• Parc Zoologique d'AmnevilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench zoo that supplied African Painted Dogs Blondie and T'Challa to YWP's breeding program.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chester Zoo: One of the UK's largest and most visited zoological attractions, operating walk-through habitats, premium animal experiences, conservation programmes, and educational visits. Highly comparable to YWP's wildlife park and conservation-led positioning.
• West Midland Safari Park: UK wildlife park combining drive-through safari reserves with walk-through areas, themed lands, accommodation, and premium animal experiences. Closely comparable resort/wildlife park model serving UK families.
• Longleat Safari Park: Iconic UK safari park offering safari drives, walk-through animal areas, premium experiences, and on-site accommodation. Comparable in integrating wildlife park with hospitality and premium offerings.
• Woburn Safari Park: UK safari park with drive-through and walk-through sections, animal experiences, and event venues. Comparable UK family-focused wildlife park with similar experiential monetisation.
• Knowsley Safari Park: UK safari park with 550+ acres of reserves, foot safari, and animal experiences, operating a similar multi-zone wildlife park model with premium encounters.
• Flamingo Land: Yorkshire-based theme park and zoo combining rides, animal attractions, and holiday village accommodation. Directly comparable as a UK family destination combining wildlife with resort-style hospitality.
• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo & Highland Wildlife Park): Conservation-focused UK zoo operator with which YWP has an active partnership (polar bear Brodie transfer). Comparable in EAZA/WAZA membership, conservation programmes, and reward structures.
• Marwell Zoo: Mid-sized UK zoo with a focus on conservation, premium animal experiences, and educational visits. Comparable in operating model, member base, and conservation partnerships.
• Twycross Zoo: UK conservation-focused zoo with primate and big cat specialism, educational programmes, and themed lands. Comparable in species mix, conservation credentials, and family market focus.
• Blackpool Zoo: UK regional zoo with walk-through habitats, animal experiences, and educational visits. Comparable in serving UK family and tourist segments with a mix of habitats and premium add-ons.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YorkshireWP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRehThdoYRRahD_gGhv5Ubg
• Facebookfacebook.com/yorkshirewildlifepark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yorkshire-wildlife-park-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/yorkshirewildlifepark/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@yorkshirewildlifepark

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Wild Life Group Limited