Originally a children's zoo, the site was taken over in 1979 by Stewart Muir:

"I started my first job at the tender age of 15 in the Bird house at the London zoo. I then had several other animal-related jobs including Harrod's pet department when they still had what they termed 'the zoo' and Sheikhs could order anything from an ostrich to an elephant. Frustrated at not being able to find a zoo-related job I started to look around without much success for a piece of ground to start a small bird garden. When I'd just about given up on the idea, by chance I found an advert on the back of the Dalton's Weekly saying "Small Children's Zoo For Sale... includes all animals plus one truculent billy goat", and so I became the owner of Shaldon Zoo".

The zoo was formed into a Charitable Trust for the conservation of smaller endangered species in 1985 and since then, despite its small size, has built up a considerable reputation within the zoo community.

Stewart was Director at Shaldon for 25 years until 2003 when he became Assistant Director at Newquay Zoo. Although still closely involved with the Trust, he is replaced as Director by Tracey Moore who has worked with the Trust since 1999. Tracey runs the zoo with Head Keeper, Anthony White and a team of over 40 volunteers and students.