What does it take to protect wildlife in 2026?

At Blackpool Zoo, the answer isn’t just funding or breeding programs. It’s something more powerful: turning everyday moments into opportunities for connection, empathy and action.

Because conservation doesn’t start in the wild. It starts with people.

And that’s exactly what the team at Blackpool Zoo is doing with its new Conservation Strategy 2025–2030, bringing conservation to life not as a concept, but as a lived experience for millions of visitors.

From Blackpool to the World

Behind every visit lies a global impact.

Over the past years, Blackpool Zoo has supported conservation efforts across 11 countries and four continents, working alongside organizations protecting species such as orangutans, red pandas and Amur tigers.

More than £250,000 have been invested directly into conservation projects in the wild, while over 30 species at the zoo are part of international breeding programs designed to secure their future.

But the real ambition goes beyond numbers.

It’s about building a bridge between a family day out in Blackpool… and the survival of species thousands of miles away.

A New Generation of Conservationists

Walk through the park on any given day, and you won’t just see animals, you’ll see future conservationists in the making.

Teenagers participating in the Conservation Summer Camp gaining real-world experience.

Children engaging with the Conservation Station, learning through touch, stories and curiosity.

Families discovering how everyday choices — from recycling to sustainable products — directly impact wildlife.

The goal is simple, but bold:

Every visitor leaves with at least one action they can take to protect the planet.

Because awareness without action is not enough.

Conservation Starts at Home

While Blackpool Zoo operates on a global scale, some of its most powerful work happens just around the corner.

At Marton Mere, a local nature reserve just minutes from the park, teams are working alongside the community to restore habitats, monitor wildlife, and bring conservation into everyday life.

It’s a reminder that conservation isn’t only about distant rainforests or endangered species, it’s also about protecting the ecosystems in our own backyard.

Powered by People

Perhaps the most important part of the story is not the animals, it’s the people.

From keepers and educators to researchers and partners, conservation at Blackpool Zoo is embedded across every team and every role.

Staff are not just delivering experiences, they are becoming ambassadors for wildlife, sharing stories, inspiring visitors, and driving real behavioral change.

Because real impact doesn’t come from a single initiative.

It comes from a culture.

Why It Matters

Animal parks today are no longer just places to observe.

They are platforms to educate, to connect, and to inspire change at scale.

With more than 3.5 million visitors engaged over the past decade, Blackpool Zoo has a unique opportunity — and responsibility — to influence how people think about the natural world.

And through this strategy, they are making one thing clear:

Conservation is not something we talk about. It’s something we do every day, in every interaction.

Because protecting wildlife doesn’t start in the wild.

It starts with us.