A ZOO is 'safe for the first time in eight years' after successfully being converted into a charity.

Dartmoor Zoo director Benjamin Mee said it is the first time he has been able to look at the zoo and think it is definitely going to be okay.

In November the zoo, which was made famous by Hollywood film We Bought a Zoo, launched a huge crowdfunding campaign to secure its future. But after failing to gain as much attention from overseas as hoped, the campaign fell short of its set target.

Benjamin said: 'Crowd-funder achieved around half of its goal, which was a huge loss for us. We were, however, able to do the transfer into a charity ­slightly ahead of time. I'm very, very pleased – it's ­fantastic for us for the ­foreseeable future.

'We've now crossed the main hurdle and hopefully we'll start to feel the benefits throughout the year – I can't wait for that to kick on.'

As a charity, the zoo can now claim gift aid and does not need to pay VAT on gate prices, which gives it an extra 20-30 per cent income.

Grants also become available to help the zoo with its education and research programmes as well as maintenance.

Benjamin added: 'Whether you're a business or a charity, the main ­concern is still looking after the animals.

'We don't want to just

be dependent on tourists

in the summer, but also ­students paying to learn in the winter.

'Over the next couple of months a classroom will be given to us by Plymouth University to house the number of students that it has up here.

'The classroom will

also be a symbol of educ-

ation, which is our main ­aspiration.'

'This year we're looking to acquire more primates – they're intelligent and ­interesting animals, so hopefully we'll be able to use some low-impact behaviour studies and have animal cognition on-site.

'Now, as a charity, it's the first time in around eight years I feel the zoo is definitely going to be okay, and I'm feeling quite happy about that.'