Twycross Zoo is set to launch a new £25 million Global Conservation Centre, bolstered by £18 million in government funding. Positioned as the UK’s largest-ever public investment in a zoo, the facility aims to become a central hub for international conservation efforts, scientific research, and education.
The site will host a 200-seat lecture theatre overlooking a new Bornean orangutan habitat, research labs, wildlife classrooms, and on-site accommodation for visiting scientists and students. The initiative involves collaboration with eight leading UK universities and is expected to open by late 2026.
In addition to supporting global biodiversity, the centre is designed to generate regional economic value. Estimates suggest that the project will create 90 direct jobs and inject £3.9 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) annually into the local economy.
A new Indonesian-themed zoo zone will open alongside the centre, featuring habitats for threatened species and linked education programmes. Twycross Zoo is also expanding its conservation work in Indonesia through partnerships with Borneo Nature Foundation and Action Indonesia.
The centre supports Twycross Zoo’s wider 2030 strategy, which targets reversing IUCN Red List status for 15 species. Construction begins in June 2025, establishing the Midlands as a growing centre of applied conservation expertise.
