The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Daubentoniidae the of the residents at the current Bristol Zoo will be moved to live at what is currently known as The Wild Place.
Bristol Zoo (Closed) Bristol Zoo - 2022 planned closure of current site, and relocation to Wild Place site.
- Thread starter oflory
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@Daubentoniidae the of the residents at the current Bristol Zoo will be moved to live at what is currently known as The Wild Place.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
Is there a chance that the new Bristol Zoo could have Elephants?
There's all sorts of species it could potentially have, not sure about elephants but it would be great.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Well a very sad outcome indeed.
The lions wouldn't have been much of a loss in my opinion but then again am I representative of the average zoo-going general public ? Probably not.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Again, is that just an assumption or is it based on solid evidence from a study ?
Because I hear statements like that an awful lot on zoochat and in general when it comes to ex-situ zoo collections and honestly I don't really believe it at all.
I don't believe the public actually know what they want from a zoo and in most cases most visitors have no expectations other than recreation or simply very superficial and vague ones which are not really contingent on whether there are lions or elephants or giraffe.
Even if it is based on solid evidence (and I should really do some reading up on papers of this subject to argue my case better) I think it would be largely a byproduct of a narrative and expectation that has been engineered by zoos and still is in many cases (to their detriment).
This may be controversial but I don't think phasing out large megafauna from zoos would stop visitors coming through the doors and I don't think Bristol zoo's declining visitor numbers had anything to do with the lack of elephants or giraffes or whatever.
The zoo's major competitor (Noah's Ark Zoo Farm) spent years promoting itself with the tagline "Where the BIG animals are". This is definitely a factor.
On Bristol zoos YouTube channel they have released a video explaining the situation and have said that the loss in visitor numbers is due to the fact that that they are no longer able too keep the larger species anymore.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Well there you are... and what is this place again ?
A second rate converted farm with minimal conservation output owned by a group who believe biblical events were literal fact.
How very depressing.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Well I'll have to take a look at that then and if that is what their conclusion about the situation is then I'm lost for words and very disappointed.
Here is the video
I understand why many people have an emotional response to this and I feel the same way. I think the zoo is a gorgeous site and it will be a real shame to see it go.
But we have to live in the world as it is rather than how we would like it to be (something I struggle to do!) and this really, clearly, is the best option for the institution, for the animals and for people. I cannot see how anyone can argue otherwise.
It is sad in some ways but in many more presents a fantastic opportunity and once the initial grief (and it that is a real and legitimate response) passes I think we should be glad to see that a pragmatic and imaginative approach has been chosen.
I understand why many people have an emotional response to this and I feel the same way. I think the zoo is a gorgeous site and it will be a real shame to see it go.
But we have to live in the world as it is rather than how we would like it to be (something I struggle to do!) and this really, clearly, is the best option for the institution, for the animals and for people. I cannot see how anyone can argue otherwise.
It is sad in some ways but in many more presents a fantastic opportunity and once the initial grief (and it that is a real and legitimate response) passes I think we should be glad to see that a pragmatic and imaginative approach has been chosen.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Well wise words I suppose and I think that if competition from "Noah's Ark" (
) had anything to do with it then it is my personal hope that Bristol can focus on becoming far stronger with this new move.I also hope that in time they drives out that particular competitor permanently and I hope they get cuthroat about it old testament style (pun very much intended).
Very sad to lose a zoo of this age (185 years old). I also worry that the smaller species will be lost over time, what are the chances of a reptile house or aquarium being built at WP any time soon?
I'll be interested to see how much the site goes for, the mayor has spoken of preserving the gardens and restricting development to areas of existing buildings, he also talks of 'affordable' housing, that will be a novelty for Clifton.
Any one fancy living in the gorilla house?
I'll be interested to see how much the site goes for, the mayor has spoken of preserving the gardens and restricting development to areas of existing buildings, he also talks of 'affordable' housing, that will be a novelty for Clifton.
Any one fancy living in the gorilla house?
Next year will be the 50th anniversary of my first visit to Bristol and so inevitably I will be very sad to visit it for the last time in 2022. But I think that the Covid crisis has probably only brought forward the decision which would eventually have become inevitable anyway. Indeed it might have been taken sooner if the original plans for the Wild Place Project had gone to completion before the previous financial crisis removed the grants and funding which were available when those plans were drawn up.
The big question in my mind is whether the funds available from the sale of the zoo's site and properties in Clifton will be sufficient to build a real world-class zoo at Wild Place.
The big question in my mind is whether the funds available from the sale of the zoo's site and properties in Clifton will be sufficient to build a real world-class zoo at Wild Place.
I hope not.
I think this is very harsh - the zoo has made leaps and bounds in recent years. They take part in multiple EEPs, and contribute thousands to conservation each year.
Absolutely. And I think my own emotional response is lessened a bit by the fact that, like @gentle lemur , I've been expecting a Clifton-to-Cribbs-Causeway switch for a very long time (back to the days of the proposed NWCP). So it was always when, not if, I think.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
It may be very harsh but it happens to be true.
They are absolutely nowhere near the league of Bristol in their conservation output and particularly considering Bristol's focus on smaller taxa.
Quite frankly they never will be either and that is what is actually so concerning because if that kind of crap is what the public go for then I truly doubt the future of zoos as conservation and education centres.
Moreover, if Noah's ark is the kind of zoo that the average visitor would rather attend doesn't it prove the argument that "giving the public / masses" what "they want" in terms of zoos is ultimately a terrible decision ?
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There’s bound to be an emotional and nostalgic response to this news but it’s something that has been on the cards for ages. Whilst the zoo is old and everyone has stories of visiting it as a child, the welfare of the animals and the conservation efforts are paramount and will trump anyone’s misty eyed memories.
As a side note, if the video on the Zoo’s site is to be believed, the Gorillas will move to WP, and they look to be planning for Jaguar (although who knows if this is just an illustration on the site map)
As a side note, if the video on the Zoo’s site is to be believed, the Gorillas will move to WP, and they look to be planning for Jaguar (although who knows if this is just an illustration on the site map)
It's sad news that the Bristol Zoo site will close (I have had a few very enjoyable visits there myself) but looking at the figures on the zoo's own FAQ page make it quite clear that staying in the current site is untenable - a current capital investment shortfall of £8 million, expected to rise to £44 million in twenty years' time is not sustainable. It seems to very much be a case of 'move it or lose it'.
FAQs about our future | Bristol Zoo
FAQs about our future | Bristol Zoo
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Watching that video my first thought is that I believed it was a world class zoo for the 21st century as it was (in fact the truth is that I thought of it as a positive model for many zoos in this part of the world) and without all of the unnecessary megafauna.
Though I do understand why this new plan has come about it is incredibly disappointing for me I must say and so much so in fact that I struggle to articulate how disappointed I am about this (and I only visited once and many years ago).
All I can say is that I hope that Jersey resist all and every pressure to crumble and go down this kind of path in the future as it will obliterate my faith in zoos if it does.
In fact in that kind of scenario my faith in the integrity of zoos would be non-existent and I would very sadly and reluctantly have to agree with Damian Aspinall.
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