Freedom for Animals’ Director, Sam Threadgill, said: ‘Let us hope that the closure of Living Coasts is the first step towards a complete phasing out of zoos and a transition to a society where animals are not ‘exhibits’ to be held captive and gawped at, but fellow inhabitants of the earth who are respected and conserved in their natural habitat.'

They are ‘confident that good new homes will be found’ for the animals, which include penguins, otters and seals, but are unable to state how long the rehoming process may take.