There’s a reason We Bought a Zoo sticks with people. It carries this mix of hope, heartbreak, and pure stubborn courage the kind that comes from trying to rebuild something that almost everyone else has given up on. Hollywood gave it bright colors, a California backdrop, and Matt Damon’s quiet determination. But the real story runs deeper, messier, and far more human.
Here’s what matters: Yes, the movie is based on a true story. But it’s not the story you saw on the screen.
Let’s walk through what really happened.
The Man Behind the Film: Benjamin Mee
Before anyone put a camera on him, Benjamin Mee was a British journalist known for writing DIY columns and tackling unusual assignments. He wasn’t a zookeeper. He wasn’t a businessman. He wasn’t looking for a gentle mid-life adventure.
He was a husband trying to give his family a fresh start.
In 2006, he and his extended family bought a struggling, nearly-abandoned zoo in Devon, England. Its original name was Dartmoor Wildlife Park, and it was on the brink of closure. Animals needed care. Enclosures were failing. Permits were tangled in years of problems.
But something about the place made sense to him maybe because it was falling apart at the same time that his own life was fraying in ways he couldn’t control.
And that’s where the real story begins.
The Move to the Zoo, and the Weight They Carried
Benjamin, his wife Katherine, their kids Milo and Ella, his mother Amelia, and his brother Duncan stepped onto that property knowing it would take everything they had.
What the movie softens and what real life didn’t is that Katherine was already carrying a serious diagnosis. She had survived a brain tumor, gone into remission, and then relapsed after the family moved to the zoo. For Benjamin, this wasn’t just a renovation project. It was a race against time, a hope that maybe a new environment could give them the peace they needed.
Katherine died a few months after they bought the zoo.
And he kept going, not because he felt strong, but because the animals were there, the staff was there, and two children needed him to stand upright even on the days he didn’t want to.
The movie shifts the timeline, placing her death earlier for storytelling impact. The truth is heavier, but also more inspiring. The family didn’t run to the zoo after loss. They tried to build life around love while facing it.
Did He Really Buy a Zoo? Yes But Not the Way the Movie Shows
Hollywood made it look almost simple: a romantic impulse buy, followed by a few months of sweat and success.
Real life wasn’t that polite.
Here’s what Benjamin Mee actually faced:
- The zoo cost £1.1 million, more than they were comfortable spending
- Government regulations were complex and urgent
- Enclosures were unsafe and needed expensive repairs
- Some animals were dangerous to move or treat
- There were serious financial risks including bankruptcy
- Staff morale was shaken after years of instability
- The community wasn’t sure if a “new owner” could pull this off
There were even stories of escaped animals in the years prior something the public remembered long after the fences were fixed.
Still, the family pushed through inspection after inspection, figuring out each crisis on the fly. And on July 7, 2007, Dartmoor Zoological Park reopened to the public. That wasn’t a movie moment. That was pure grit.
Hollywood vs. Real Life: What the Movie Changed
Movies take artistic liberties We Bought a Zoo is no exception. Here’s where fact and fiction part ways.
1. Location
Movie: California
Real life: Devon, England
Moving the story to the U.S. made it easier to cast, package, and market.
2. Benjamin Mee’s nationality
Movie: American
Real life: British
His original accent never made it onto the screen.
3. Katherine’s illness
Movie: She dies before the zoo purchase
Real life: She moved with them to the zoo and passed away months later
This is one of the biggest emotional differences.
4. The zookeeper character Kelly Foster
Scarlett Johansson’s character is fictional.
There was no romantic subplot.
No slow-burn chemistry.
No hidden love story.
5. The “magical, smooth” purchase
Hollywood trimmed away years of legal battles, financial risk, and bureaucratic headaches. The real buying process was slow, tangled, and pressure-filled.
6. The tone of the zoo’s revival
The movie makes it feel like a family project with charming obstacles.
In reality, it was a survival mission emotionally, financially, and physically.
Is Benjamin Mee a Real Person?
Absolutely.
He’s still very much involved in the real Dartmoor Zoological Park. He appears in interviews, oversees major decisions, and continues to share his story with the world.
He even makes a cameo in the film, along with his children a quiet nod to the true story behind the script.
Does Benjamin Mee Still Live at Dartmoor Zoo?
Yes.
He remained closely tied to the zoo for years after the movie and continues to help run it today. His commitment didn’t fade after Hollywood moved on. This wasn’t a temporary project for him. It became his life’s work.
Did Benjamin Mee and Kelly Foster Get Married?
No because Kelly Foster didn’t exist in real life.
Scarlett Johansson’s character was created for narrative warmth and structure. The real zoo had keepers and dedicated staff, but none served as a romantic partner or central emotional foil for Benjamin.
The true story is a story of family resilience, not romance.
A Zoo Saved, One Hard Day at a Time
Even now, Dartmoor Zoological Park stands as proof of what one determined family can do when the world tells them to stop. It houses hundreds of animals, runs conservation programs, and offers educational experiences for visitors.
But if you strip away the movie lights, here’s the heart of it:
Benjamin Mee didn’t buy a zoo to escape grief.
He bought it to build a life big enough for hope, even when hope felt fragile.
And somehow, against the odds, that’s exactly what he did.
The Story Behind the Story
If you want the purest version of the truth, it’s in Benjamin Mee’s memoir:
“We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Broken-Down Zoo, and the 200 Animals That Changed a Family Forever.”
That book carries the details Hollywood softened, skipped, or reshaped.
It shows the exhaustion, the sacrifice, and the stubborn belief that something broken can still be worth saving.
Final Thoughts
So yes We Bought a Zoo is a true story.
Just not the story you saw in theaters.
The movie gives you the hope.
The real life gives you the courage behind it.
Benjamin Mee’s journey isn’t about perfect endings.
It’s about showing up for the animals, for his children, and for a dream that asked far more from him than he expected.
And that’s what makes the story unforgettable.
Katie Couric, MA in Arts & Journalism. Crafting compelling narratives at istruestory.com. Passionate about bringing untold stories to light.