The Zoological Society of Ireland (ZSI), which runs Fota Island Wildlife Park and Dublin Zoo, has released new consolidated accounts that indicate revenue climbed by €4.28 million to €24.63 million in the previous year.

The store income climbed from €2.9 million to €3.7 million, while gate income totalled €16.73 million. Revenues from annual passes and membership increased to €2.89 million from €1.79 million.

The Zoological Society of Ireland President, Ann Keenan, expressed her happiness in her report, noting that Dublin Zoo had seen "our highest total visitor number since our foundation in 1831."

According to Ms. Keenan, there were 1.27 million visits to Dublin Zoo in total in 2022, of which 1 million visited during the day. A record 269,821 people came to see the Zoo's Wild Lights. Over the course of the year, Fota Wildlife Park in Cork had a 12.5% decline in attendance, from 474,794 to 415,200.

While acknowledging that Fota Wildlife Park recorded its greatest first-quarter traffic figures to date, Ms. Keenan remarked that “unfavourable weather and other accommodations-related issues in the Cork area caused some decline on 2021's all-time record attendance performance.”

Dublin Zoo had issued a warning in late 2020 that it would run out of money by spring 2021 owing to the pandemic's impact. The non-profit organization's financial situation continues to rapidly improve in 2022.

The Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park received €1.1 million in support from the government to balance its finances after the Zoo issued a warning that it would run out of money in 2020. Meanwhile, the people flooded the Save Dublin Zoo campaign with donations.

The ZSI was awarded capital grants by the government last year totalling €3 million.

In 2022, the group's capital expenditure came to €5.5 million.

The board was able to raise the Emergency Reserve Fund to €3 million from €500,000 thanks to the excess from the previous year.

As the number of employees rose from 135 to 175 last year, staff costs went from €6.07 million to €7.6 million. The entire amount paid to 17 top management employees was €1.18 million.

The excess accounts for €3.53 million in non-cash depreciation expenses.

A note that was appended to the accounts said that a reimbursement for Covid-19-related services was anticipated in 2022, and it included a €46,000 amount under that category.