Our story

As a wildlife biology gradate and a volunteer at a small zoo and a wildlife hospital, I had the bold vision to open a zoo.

After a long and hard search, my family and I found the perfect location in Fife that was both in the countryside but easily accessible. The abandoned facility was overgrown and unloved but I knew it could become something special.

The project ahead was a huge one, driven by our passion for conservation. The 10-acre site needed to be cleared and dated buildings renovated to transform it into our vision of a home for wildlife and a great place for visitors to enjoy and learn.

But there was still a long way to go. We were on the brink of opening the lemur walkthrough when Covid hit. Tourist attractions around the world shut down as priorities turned to keeping everyone safe and well. It wasn’t until late June 2020 that further development of the zoo could tentatively begin and visitors could trickle in at safe distances.

Further tragedy wasn’t far away. Just a month later, a sustainable energy system that had been installed as part of the zoo’s dedication to protecting the environment, caught fire. It tore through the soft play facility – which was closed at the time so unattended – and all that was left were the charred foundations and a heap of rubble.

The zoo had to shut down for a couple of weeks but, after just a few months of trading, another lockdown was soon upon us.

Rather than wait for everything to be ready, we saw the opportunity to inspire others along the journey. So, within six months, we opened the newly restored restaurant and 12 months later we opened our soft play facility to the public. Families enjoyed seeing the zoo unfold stage by stage and couldn’t wait for the first areas to open!

Early guests had to be patient because it took three years of hard graft to get the first habitats ready. With such a tiny budget, we had to do the majority of the work ourselves. We dug and laid paths. We planted and landscaped the public areas. We themed the habitats and, most importantly, we took great care in welcoming their first inhabitants which included meerkats, porcupines, monkeys, tortoises and more.

It was both a surreal and amazing moment when, in July 2019, the guests got to meet them for the first time. Fife Zoo was born!

However, spring brought new hope. With restrictions lifted in March 2021, the family could finally welcome back visitors. Over the coming months, everything was starting to get back on track as the lemur walkthough opened in the late summer, followed by an African aviary walkthrough early the next year, although complexities with insurance mean that it will be some time before the soft play facility can be rebuilt.

Despite this, we have exciting plans for the zoo in future. Later this year, a new exhibit for the De Brazza’s monkeys, and bamboo lemurs will also move into the monkey’s old home. Visitors to the zoo will be able to see it all unfolding.