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Dartmoor Zoo gains charity status after raising £340k

Dartmoor Zoo, which inspired the Hollywood film ‘We Bought a Zoo’ has become a charity following a crowdfunding appeal.

The online crowdfunding appeal closed after raising £340k of £1.6 million for Dartmoor Zoo in Devon.

The zoo launched its crowdfunding appeal as part of moves to become a charity and also to avoid job cuts.

It raised £339.9k from 745 backers in its 35-day appeal, that includes several private donations, and Plymouth University also said it would provide £2,000 of match funding.

Launching its appeal, the zoo said: “Two global recessions and five of the wettest English summers on record have shown that this zoo needs to shift its centre of gravity from dependence on seasonal tourists towards becoming a charity focusing on research and education.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .