Dartmoor Wildlife Park sale completes


Date: 3 November 2006
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Exeter, UK - One of the most eagerly awaited commercial property sales of 2006 has just been completed.


Dartmoor Wildlife Park, a 30-acre property in the heart of the South Hams countryside, complete with around 400 exotic animals, was sold this week Knight Frank’s Hotels division in Exeter with a guide price of £1,250,000.


The Park is now to be a family business after being bought by the Mee family. Consisting of ‘Mamma’ Mee, her daughter, two sons and their families, they already have an interesting and intriguing animal background.
Benjamin Mee holds a degree in psychology and specialises in animal behaviour. He has spent the last ten years studying the topic. His current project looks into the complex subject of animal humour. His brother, Duncan Mee, gave his two daughters Giant African Breeding Snails after they requested a cat. Unable until now to home any truly exotic animals, they have more than made up for it.


As well as the collection of exotic and endangered species, the Estate also includes a 300 seat licensed restaurant and dance floor, 12 bedroom farm house, cottage, ‘close encounters’ educational building, falconry centre, barn, and a 200 space car park. All of these together make up the Goodamoor Estate, which has been home to 77-year-old Ellis Daw, since 1948 when he moved into the main house with his parents. Ellis decided in 1968 to use the land and buildings to set up the Dartmoor Wildlife Park. Since then the Park has grown into one  of the West Country’s favourite visitor attractions and now boasts one of the most successful breeding programmes for tigers in the UK.


The family intend to continue the Park as a family run business and hope only to make a few minor adjustments and gentle refurbishments to restore the park to it’s original state. Many of the enclosures will have some maintenance work, as will the restaurant and buildings ready for the opening, which is set to be around Easter time.


New owner, Benjamin Mee, is extremely excited about the future ahead “I have an academic background in animal psychology but never thought I’d have the opportunity to work this closely with animals. I just hope I can
rise to the occasion and keep the animals in a safe and happy environment”.


Colette Charsley, of selling agent Knight Frank, said: “In the time the property has been on the market there has been a high amount of interest, both from potential buyers and the media. I am sure the Mee family will be extremely successful in this new venture, due to their love of animals and their enthusiasm. I look forward to the opening next year”.

For further information, please contact:


Gill Vosper / Katy Thorpe, Absolute PR & Marketing, Tel: 01392 680740, gill@absoluteprandmarketing.com or


Olivia Gallimore, Knight Frank press office

Tel: 020 7861 1035


Colette Charsley, Knight Frank Exeter,

Tel: 01392 848 850


United Kingdom