Hertfordshire Zoo

Analysis

Hertfordshire Zoo is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Broxbourne. It was registered in March 2005, 21 years ago. Its declared purposes cover animals and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under animals. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Hertfordshire Zoo reported income of £10.1m and spending of £8.9m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £6.2m to £10.1m (+64%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 22%. Over the whole period it spent 87% of the income it received.

Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, Hertfordshire Zoo sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Essex Wildlife Trust Limited (£10.0m), Sheldrick Wildlife Trust UK (£10.4m) and World Land Trust (£9.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 83%, donations and legacies 11%, investments 4.4% and trading 1.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £13k. Charitable activities took 20% of spending and raising funds 0.7%. Reserves of £10.4m would cover about 14 months of spending at that rate. It employed 230 people.