Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS): where does the money come from?
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) had income of £26m in the year to December 2025. It welcomed 704,000 visitors.
What does Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) do?
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is the conservation charity that runs Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie. It was founded in 1909 and opened Edinburgh Zoo in 1913. Its income comes mainly from admissions, membership, catering and retail at the two parks, with donations, legacies and grants supporting its conservation and research work in Scotland and overseas.
In brief: conservation charity · Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park · admissions and membership · founded 1909
Source: Spark Intel editorial, checked 27 September 2026. Official website: rzss.org.uk.
Where does Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)'s money come from?
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) receives no grant-in-aid: all £26m came from what it earns and raises itself.
- Admissions and exhibitions £8m 32%
- Shops, catering and commercial £8m 29%
- Donations and legacies £4m 17%
- Other income £6m 22%
What did Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) spend, and what is it worth?
| Measure | Dec 2025 | Previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Total income | £26m | £25m |
| Total spending | £27m | |
| Net income before gains | -£0.3m | |
| Staff costs | £10m | |
| Staff | 336 | |
| Net assets | £34m | |
| Cash | £5m | |
| Visitors | 704,000 | |
| Income per visitor | £37.26 |
Net income is before investment gains and property revaluations. For a charity it is the surplus kept for the collection and buildings, not a profit paid out.
- Legal form
- Royal Charter society (instituted 1913) and Scottish registered charity SC004064; not registered at Companies House
- Sites
- Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park (Kincraig)
- Trading company
- Ark Enterprises Limited (SC121528)
- Latest accounts
- Year to 31 December 2025
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS): common questions
How much money does Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) get from the government?
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) reports no government grant-in-aid in its accounts for the year to December 2025; its income of £26m comes from its own activities, donations and other sources.
How much does Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) spend?
£27m in the year to December 2025, of which staff costs were £10m.
How many people visit Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)?
704,000 in the year to December 2025 (Visitors to both parks, calendar year 2025 ('In total 704,000 visitors'); stated separately as 580,833 at Edinburgh Zoo and 122,963 at Highland Wildlife Park), according to its annual report.
Why isn't Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) on the Companies House register?
Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) is royal Charter society (instituted 1913) and Scottish registered charity SC004064; not registered at Companies House, so it publishes its accounts in an annual report rather than filing them at Companies House. Its trading company, Ark Enterprises Limited, does file there.
Spark Intel, “Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS): where does the money come from?”, updated 28 September 2026. https://www.spark-intel.co.uk/companies/rzss/. Figures from Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)'s annual report and accounts for the year to 31 December 2025.
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