ZooMoo: The Evolution of a Global Children's Nature Network

ZooMoo: The Evolution of a Global Children's Nature Network

Launched as a collaborative effort to bring the wonders of the natural world to younger audiences, ZooMoo has grown from a regional project into an international children's television network. By blending education with entertainment, the channel provides a window into wildlife and biology for children across multiple continents.

The Origins and Global Expansion

The journey of ZooMoo began in 2012 when two biology-focused companies, Beach House Pictures and NHNZ, partnered with DirecTV to create a dedicated children's network. The channel officially debuted in Brazil on September 11, 2013, exclusively via Sky. Its success in the Brazilian market paved the way for a wider rollout across Latin America via DirecTV by August 21, 2014.

The network's reach quickly extended beyond the Americas. By April 4, 2014, ZooMoo launched in Singapore through StarHub. In 2016, the channel underwent a significant corporate shift when the Canadian-based Blue Ant Media acquired a majority stake, alongside NHNZ and Beach House Kids. This period also saw the introduction of a Spanish-language feed in the United States.

Expansion continued into Southeast Asia and Europe. The Philippines welcomed the channel on Easy TV Home on May 25, 2018. Shortly after, on July 21, 2018, ZooMoo arrived on the UK's Virgin Media (channels 295 and 739). While the UK presence faced various EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) shifts and temporary duplicates, the HD channel eventually closed on January 7, 2020, followed by the closure of the UK channel later that year.

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Regional Operations and Rebranding

ZooMoo operates differently depending on the region to cater to local languages and tastes. In the United States, Latin America, and Brazil, the network is operated by AMC Networks International. Currently, the U.S. and Latin American markets share a single feed available in both English and Spanish.

Brazil has maintained a more distinct identity. Originally known as ZooMoo, the Brazilian flagship channel was rebranded as ZooMoo Kids in March 2020. Following this rebrand, it departed from Claro TV on March 31, 2020. In a further evolution of the brand, ZooMoo Kids was rebranded as DumDum in June 2025, featuring exclusive Brazilian-produced content and Portuguese-language programming.

The network also ventured into the African market, launching on Zuku TV in Kenya on April 1, 2020. Six months later, it appeared on DStv as a "pop-up channel," a temporary arrangement that was extended through June 2021.

Strategic Partnerships and Ownership Changes

To diversify its content, ZooMoo entered into a "content swap" agreement on June 16, 2020, with Your Family Entertainment (YFE) and Blue Ant Media. This allowed ZooMoo to integrate series from the YFE catalog into its global feeds. As a result, viewers in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region began seeing shows like Albert Says... Nature Knows Best, Gloria's House, Urmel, and Bob's Beach. Similarly, the U.S. and Latin American feeds adopted Albert Says... Nature Knows Best, Urmel, and Bob's Beach.

This partnership was reciprocal; YFE-operated channels such as Fix & Foxi and RiC began airing ZooMoo content, including the animated series Jelly Jamm.

In September 2021, following the rebranding of Blue Ant's channels to ROCK, ZooMoo was acquired by Rock Entertainment Holdings.

Key Facts

  • Founded: 2012 (Partnership between Beach House Pictures, NHNZ, and DirecTV).
  • Primary Focus: Children's nature and biology programming.
  • Major Owners: Previously Blue Ant Media; currently Rock Entertainment Holdings.
  • Brazilian Identity: Rebranded from ZooMoo to ZooMoo Kids (2020) and finally to DumDum (2025).
  • Content Strategy: Utilizes a content swap agreement with Your Family Entertainment (YFE) to expand its library.
Year Event Region/Market
2013 Official Launch Brazil (Sky)
2014 Regional Expansion Latin America & Singapore
2016 Majority Stake Acquisition Blue Ant Media
2018 Market Entry Philippines & United Kingdom
2020 Content Swap Agreement Global (with YFE)
2021 Ownership Change Rock Entertainment Holdings
2025 Final Rebrand Brazil (to DumDum)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ZooMoo?

ZooMoo is an international children's television network dedicated to nature and biology, designed to educate children about the animal kingdom and the environment.

Who currently owns ZooMoo?

ZooMoo was acquired by Rock Entertainment Holdings in September 2021, following a period of ownership by Blue Ant Media.

What happened to ZooMoo in Brazil?

The Brazilian channel evolved through several names: starting as ZooMoo, it became ZooMoo Kids in March 2020, and was eventually rebranded as DumDum in June 2025.

What is the YFE content swap?

It is a programming agreement between Your Family Entertainment and Blue Ant Media that allows ZooMoo to air YFE series (such as Albert Says... Nature Knows Best) while YFE channels air ZooMoo content (such as Jelly Jamm).

Is ZooMoo still available in the United Kingdom?

The UK channel closed in 2020, and its presence on Virgin Media On Demand was removed by 2022.

References

  1. "Zoomoo - Original Wildlife Channel Premieres on Starhub". ZooMoo Networks eKit - English. ZooMoo Networks eKit. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  2. "ZooMoo and StarHub Unveil Asia's First Kids Channel Dedicated to Wildlife". StarHub. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  3. "Colours - Zoo Moo Parents | Facebook". Retrieved 22 September 2021 – via www.facebook.com.
  4. "Zuku TV-Uganda Official". Facebook. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  5. "5 new channels coming to DStv". Channel. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.