The love of many people for animals is undeniable, so why not competently use this and open a private zoo? Some analysts believe that this type of business cannot be profitable, but will bring only losses.
In fact, if you correctly approach this issue, you can get quite a decent income. In this article we will tell you how to open a contact zoo, buy animals, choose a location for the institution, draw up a business plan and much more.
Choosing a place for the zoo
One of the significant success factors is the availability of parking and the ability to travel. The zoo should be located in a convenient location for public transport. Of course, it is completely optional that a bus or tram stop be right next to the entrance to the zoo.
But in any case, visitors should not overcome more than 300 meters. After all, if you do not think about visitors who get by bus or tram, you can lose a significant part of the profit. It is very good if the zoo is located next to the city park.
Before you open a contact zoo, also do not forget to take care of guests who will arrive by car. It is necessary to equip an extensive parking lot and convenient access. To slightly increase income, you can make parking paid. If you are primarily interested in the prestige and popularity of your establishment, it is better to still allow customers to park for free.
Variety of animals
Of course, the main condition for the success of the zoo is animals, or rather, their quantity, rarity and diversity. However, many owners of private zoos do not understand this. Even if you plan to open a mini-zoo, you still need to think about the "range" of animals. In most establishments you can find the standard list: monkeys, horses, tigers, deer, lions, foxes, camels, wolves, peacocks and eagles. Few seek to really surprise their visitors, and in vain.
Which animals to choose?
Your key task is to consider which animals will become the trump card of your zoo. These, for example, include:
- mountain gorilla;
- maned wolf;
- rhino
- a camel;
- okapi;
- capybara (the largest rodent on the planet);
- Wolverine
- manula (this is a fluffy wild cat);
- panda;
- koala;
- sloth and others.
The above animals are considered quite rare. If your zoo will have at least a couple of such animals, your institution will get a stir. Who will not take curiosity to look at representatives of the fauna, which are almost gone in the world?
Naturally, the cost of such animals will be just cosmic. But if you want to attract tremendous attention to the zoo and, accordingly, get a big profit, you will have to spend a lot of money first.
If your goal is to attract only residents of your city and environs to the contact mini-zoo, you can purchase the traditional “arsenal” of animals, which were already discussed above.
In addition, you can go another way - to open the so-called rural zoo. The concept of “village” is alien to many residents of megalopolises, therefore for such a contingent pigs, rabbits, cows, goats, donkeys, horses, geese, ducks will be real exotic. It will be much easier to keep these animals than lions and antelopes, because they are the indigenous inhabitants of our latitudes.
Where to buy animals for the zoo?
The most common way is to purchase animals in other zoos. After a certain time, when your animals breed, and there will be more of them, you can also change them for other representatives or sell your pets.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the keeping of animals. The biggest costs - of course, for food. In the business plan of the zoo, it is necessary, first of all, to make this particular item of expenditure. As experienced zoo owners claim, the walrus is the most gluttonous. To feed him, you need to spend 3,000 rubles daily, and this is as much as 90,000 per month!
Elephant maintenance is also very expensive - approximately 3,127 rubles per day. A lion dines for 1200 rubles, a giraffe - for 1560 rubles. Brown bear's appetites are much more modest. His daily diet will cost 330 rubles. The most “economical” are peacocks and some other types of birds and herbivores - 20 rubles per day.
For comparison, we can say that in large zoos, where about 8,000 animals live, about 250 thousand rubles are spent on food every day.
If you decide to open a contact mini-zoo, then, of course, the costs will be 3-4 times less, but at the same time it should be remembered that keeping animals is not only a huge cost, but also a big responsibility.
Smart approach - guardianship of animals
Most zoos practice animal guardianship by guests. In other words, a person comes to you and says that he would like to take on this or that animal. You give him the opportunity to be the guardian of his chosen pet. This does not mean that he will personally feed the animal and clean up after him. He will be just his sponsor.
Therefore, before you open a contact zoo, think about this option. Perhaps you even know people who would like to take care of some kind of animal that will live in your institution. Such an offer can even be placed in a newspaper, to stick flyers, posters. By the way, it will not be amiss to advertise the zoo in a variety of media to attract not only sponsors, but also visitors. You can also invite schoolchildren on a tour, put up flyers around the city.
Entertainment
Animals for the mini zoo are, of course, the main source of profit. However, to increase income, you can offer guests a variety of entertainment. For example, in addition to observing the inhabitants of the zoo, you can add to the list of services paid excursions for children, selling souvenirs, organizing performances of animals, etc.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the video and photography. In many menageries, these procedures are not welcome and even prohibited. To increase the flow of guests, allow shooting (you can even for a small fee).
Feeding of some non-hazardous animals can be allowed, and feed can be sold at affordable prices. It is very profitable to open a cafe on the territory of the zoo where everyone can eat. Thus, you will increase your income several times. With a great desire, you can come up with other original forms of entertainment.
Issue price
As you know, many entrepreneurs dream of opening a zoo. The business plan of the menagerie must be very well thought out. On average, you will need at least 300 thousand rubles to start. You can start with a small collection of animals and gradually replenish their number. In addition, you will need to buy cages, aviaries and other equipment.
The costs of a contact mini zoo are also highly dependent on its location. Renting a place in the center of the city will be much more expensive than in remote areas or outside the city.
Think about the staff. Even for a small institution you will need an administrator, a guide, an animal care specialist, a veterinarian and an animator (organizes events with children).
It is worth noting that the largest flow of visitors to zoos is observed from April to October, since in winter some of the animals are in hibernation.
spin off
Take note: to get additional benefits, purchase animals that can themselves generate income. For example, you can sell ostrich and quail eggs, rabbit fur, sheep’s wool, etc. You can also give preference to species that you can pick up or at least touch. It is very beneficial to keep ponies or horses. Riding them enthuses children.
Underwater rocks
Before you open a contact zoo, you will have to get around dozens of instances. Documents will be required quite a lot. Firstly, it will be necessary to register the state of emergency in the tax inspectorate, and secondly, to receive many permits from various authorities. In addition, all animals of the zoo must be examined by a veterinarian, as well as have the necessary vaccinations.
In general, if you properly think through the business plan of the zoo, its profitability can be very high. If you ensure a constant high interest in the establishment, think over a work schedule, location, adequate pricing policy, then your contact zoo will bring good and stable profit.
