Following the announcement in October last year that it was to undergo new management and a multi-million pound renovation, Sweden’s Skånes Djurpark has unveiled a partnership with Aardman to bring the first Shaun the Sheep attraction to the country.

Few details have been released so far about the £5m (€7.2m, US$7.8m) attraction, but it will include a 3D experience and is scheduled to open in Q3 of 2016.

First opened in 1953 by the Skånes Djurpark Foundation, the zoo near Hoor, houses about 900 animals, representing 100 species. It currently gets around 200,000 visitors annually but is failing to make ends meet financially, having never been profitable without government subsidy.

Kongeparken theme park CEO and Lund Group owner Håkon Lund – who was brought in to turn the stuttering attraction around at the end of last year – told AM2 exclusively that the park was in negotiation with four animal-related IPs as part of the relaunch and rebranding. Two were Swedish and two were international, with the one based in the UK now having been revealed to be the Shaun the Sheep IP.

As part of the rebranding, the zoo is aiming to target 0-12 year-olds, with Lund adding that it would be “the best for that age group in Sweden” and “very, very specific for that age group” under the rebranding.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Skanes Djurpark and the Lund Group to premier Shaun the Sheep's first ever international family attraction in Sweden,” Sean Clarke, head of Rights and Brand Development at Aardman. “It will be a world's first and a great way to give families an opportunity to immerse themselves into the fun and excitement of Shaun the Sheep."