Kyle Thomas was born in 2004 in Kent, England. He and his mother, Zena Foord, later relocated to Belfast, Northern Ireland, eventually settling in Lisburn where he was raised. This move from England to Northern Ireland during his childhood is noted in media profiles of his life.
In Northern Ireland, Thomas attended local school in Lisburn but left at age 16. He completed his formal education through the equivalent of secondary level and did not pursue any further studies. Public records and interviews do not report any college or university education beyond his teenage years.
From an early age, Thomas was fascinated by the natural world. He kept various small pets such as stick insects and “sea monkeys,” and frequently watched wildlife programs and visited animal parks, nurturing a passion for nature. He has said he was “always interested in science and the natural world” when he was younger. These experiences in a rural, animal-rich environment helped shape his childhood interests.
Thomas has noted that his first significant exotic pets were bearded dragons, which he had around age six, and that he “always felt drawn to animals” even as a child. Caring for those animals early on was a formative part of his upbringing.
Grateful for a little bit of everything lately ❤️ | Fact | Verified Information |
| Name | Kyle Thomas |
| Birth Year | 2004 |
| Born In | Kent, England |
| Raised In | Lisburn, Northern Ireland |
| Known For | TikTok creator |
| Started TikTok | 2019 |
| Main Niche | Animal content |
| Signature Animal | Meerkat “Mylo” |
| Public Following | 35M+ TikTok followers (reported) |
| TV Work | BBC Three (2024) |
| Documentary | We Built a Zoo |
| Book | Guardian of the Realm (2022) |
| Charity Role | Roots & Shoots ambassador |
| Sanctuary | The Mylo Project (NI) |
| Income Sources | Ads, brand deals, merch |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified (2026) |
Kyle Thomas began his online career on Instagram, but really took off when he started posting on TikTok in 2019. Initially he shared lighthearted lifestyle clips – for example, taste-testing sweets from around the world.
Thomas recalls that in those first posts he was “just trying sweets from different countries,” a strategy that quickly went viral. His playful content drew in an enormous audience: by his own account, he had roughly six million followers within the first year on TikTok. This rapid early growth set the stage for his later shift toward animal-focused content.
After establishing a base of fans, Thomas shifted his focus to his passion for animals. He began featuring rescued and exotic pets in his videos – most famously his pet meerkat Mylo – using these clips to highlight animal welfare themes.
This animal-centric content distinguished him from many other creators. The Jane Goodall Institute UK notes that Thomas’s platform is “built on more than entertainment,” emphasizing that he actively “promotes rescue, welfare and the importance of treating all living beings with compassion” via his social media.
In effect, his messages about kindness to animals resonated widely, helping transform him into a leading voice for animal rescue content on TikTok.
Thomas’s audience continued to explode after he adopted the animal-rescue theme. By 2023 he had amassed over 35 million followers on TikTok, making him the most-followed TikTok creator in the UK.
His clips have racked up well over a billion likes on the platform, reflecting their massive reach. He maintained a relentless posting schedule – at one point averaging roughly 60 videos per week and even hitting a record 25 posts in a single day, which fueled his steady rise.
Even TikTok itself recognized him: in 2021 Thomas was invited to take part in the official UK “TikTok For You House” pop-up event in London, where he led public workshops on how to create successful TikTok content.
His Instagram presence also grew (to over 1.3 million followers) as he leveraged multiple platforms to broaden his audience.
Beyond creating his own content, Thomas has engaged in various professional partnerships. He is managed by industry agencies (including Soho Agency and Select Model Management) and has modeled and spoken at events as part of his career.
He has also teamed up with brands for promotional campaigns. For instance, he collaborated with eco-fashion brand PANGAIA on a sustainability campaign, where he was featured as a “wildlife ambassador” to raise awareness about conservation.
Thomas is also an official ambassador for Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots youth program in the UK, reflecting his ongoing work with environmental charities. In terms of earnings, Thomas has confirmed that his social media activities provide a substantial income.
In a 2022 interview he stated that his online career had given him a “comfortable income”, and analysts have noted that he is among the highest-earning TikTok creators in Britain for his age group.
Over a few short years, Thomas has hit several notable career milestones. In 2022 he published a fantasy graphic novel titled Guardian of the Realm, a book co-written and illustrated for young readers that tells a magical adventure featuring him and his meerkat Mylo.
By 2023 his success was widely recognized by the media – ITV even called him the UK’s “highest earning TikTok teenager” at the time. In 2024 he was named to Forbes magazine’s prestigious “30 Under 30” list (Europe, Art & Culture), marking his impact beyond social media.
That year also saw Thomas debut on television: his first BBC Three documentary, We Built a Zoo, premiered in late 2024. The program follows his effort to create a permanent animal sanctuary, documenting both the challenges he faced and his commitment to his animals.
In recent years Thomas has turned much of his energy toward real-world animal projects while continuing to engage his online audience. In late 2024 he opened The Mylo Project, an animal sanctuary in Northern Ireland established in partnership with local conservationist Phil Hughes.
This sanctuary provides a permanent home for his rescued animals, and Thomas regularly posts updates about it on his TikTok and Instagram channels. He also remains involved in environmental outreach: for example, he appeared as a featured figure in PANGAIA’s “A Portrait of Progress” campaign and maintains his role as a Roots & Shoots ambassador.
Looking ahead, Thomas has expressed interest in expanding into traditional media; he has stated an ambition to host an animal-focused television series in the future.
Overall, his current career blends content creation with conservation work, underscoring his evolution into a professional wildlife advocate and media personality.
As of 2026, his net worth is not publicly disclosed, and no figure has been officially verified by major financial authorities. He earns income from his social media activities, including TikTok content creation, which he monetizes through sponsored posts, brand partnerships, merchandise sales (including his own branded apparel) and related ventures. He has described these activities as providing a "comfortable income", though specific earnings figures have not been publicly disclosed.
Kyle Thomas is a British social media creator known for animal-focused content on TikTok. He gained popularity for featuring rescued and exotic animals while promoting animal welfare.
Kyle Thomas was born in Kent, England, in 2004. He later moved to Northern Ireland and was raised in Lisburn.
He began posting on TikTok in 2019, initially sharing lifestyle content before shifting to animal-related videos. His posts featuring rescued animals significantly increased his audience.
He is best known for creating animal-centered content, particularly videos featuring his pet meerkat, Mylo. His platform also highlights rescue and conservation themes.
Yes. In 2024, he appeared in the BBC Three documentary We Built a Zoo, which followed his efforts to establish an animal sanctuary.