[2][3] The zoo first opened as a visitor attraction in May 2011 as the Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens.

[2][4] Prior to this, the site had been used solely as an educational training facility by Northumberland College for its animal care students.

Its animal collection initially consisted of emus, wallabies, marmosets, lemurs and meerkats, among other species.

[7] The zoo is situated within a 400-acre (160 ha) Northumberland College campus, which is also shared with Kirkley Hall.

[8] The zoo houses over 200 species, including meerkats, raccoon dogs, bush dogs, binturongs, Asian palm civets, small primates, fish, birds and reptiles.