Benjamin Mee: We Bought a Zoo

Benjamin Mee is a passionate educator, whose purchase of Dartmoor Zoo has been immortalised by a Hollywood film based on his bestselling book.

Benjamin studied Psychology at UCL and completed an MSc in Science Journalism at Imperial College. He has been a contributing editor to Men’s Health magazine and a Guardian columnist.

When he learned that Dartmoor Zoo would be closed down if a buyer couldn’t be found, he and his family pulled out all the stops and bought it. However, he found himself juggling the complexities of managing a zoo and getting it ready for reopening, together with facing the consequences of his wife’s terminal illness and caring for two young children.

Benjamin will reveal the story of buying the zoo through to it becoming a charity. He will share the highs and lows, and the importance of zoos in wildlife conservation, research and education.