Bristol Zoo Project The Wild Place news 2023

Incase anyone on here has any knowledge of this stuff

on ZTL it lists the zoo still has Bali Myna, Edwards pheasant and Palawan peacock pheasant and I was wondering if they were still there and just off show

some other animals like the grey crowned cranes and Guinea fowl are still listed despite being absent from the zoo for a while but Philippine cockatoo which I know are still at the zoo but off show and only visible through a thin bamboo screen

anyone know if the birds are still there or not?
 
An article has been released about the arrival of the female ostrich (named Mary) from Africa Alive. The plan is for the pair of common ostriches now at the park to be used to gain experience in keeping ostriches before the later arrival of the critically endangered red-necked ostriches.

The article can be read here:
There’s something about Mary…the ostrich! - Bristol Zoo Project
 
Had an enjoyable day at Bristol zoo project yesterday. Weather was a little mixed and there were quite a few visitors but soon spread out. Saw everything animal wise too which was nice.

The young wolverines were chasing about and climbing the trees - it’s a treat to get eye level with a wolverine climbing so high to the walkway level. The bears and wolves were also out all day and active. Such a great space to watch them - I am impressed again each time I go. Saw the female lynx. The talk at the wolves and bears was interesting.

The mongoose lemur in the walkthrough was a highlight as were the gentle lemurs in their outside space. Super cool.

The red river hog space will be redeveloped in the end looking at the plans but at the moment they have bags of space and variety to wander around in.

Spent a while seeking the spotted deer who weren’t there on my last visit but thanks to a helpful passing keeper found them in the end - like that you can get good views of the enclosure all the way around though a few people on the barefoot trail seemed a bit surprised by mad person in the bushes with a camera - fortunately it was pointing at the deer! It would help with the deer if they removed the fallen tree that screaming kids climb all over right next to the enclosure fence - putting it somewhere else would help things. Can’t criticise the kids for excitedly screaming really so relocating them could work.

The geladas were out (is it an all bachelor group?) which offered a chance to again consider best gelada enclosure for the running thread. Didn’t change my vote but the trees beyond the enclosure do offer a great backdrop for viewing and photos.

Persistent light rain saw most people off by mid afternoon which made for good views of the birds in the walled garden.
 
Visited yesterday and was told that red pandas are next to appear at BZP (can this thread be renamed as such, or a new one started as WPP is no no more?) in a temporary enclosure by the recently arrived spotted deer (female visible for quite a while whilst we were chatting - seen through hedge from path on bottom edge of giraffe paddock, next to viewing area with the binoculars).
 
 
Pertinax said:
From this it sounds like the Phillipine deer are a temporary 'filler' where they are now, but I hope they retain them longterm.
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I’m guessing that they’ll move where the red river hogs are now and then a new permanent enclosure will be built maybe as a part of the enterance
 
Pertinax said:
From this it sounds like the Phillipine deer are a temporary 'filler' where they are now, but I hope they retain them longterm.
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They are a temp. ‘filler’ where they are as that’s where the gorilla enclosure will be built.
 
In a recent email from BZS they have published more cgi images of parts of the Central African Forest specifically the Indoor part of the gorilla house and the African grey parrot avairy

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Visited mid week last week and have to say I was wholly unimpressed. Being a Bristol resident I did used to enjoy having both wild place and bz on the doorstep, and was excited when there was news of the 2 sites merging and thought it a good thing as more space at the new site etc etc.

Bear wood I think (and always have thought) is incredible, and we were lucky to see 4x wolverines, 1x lynx, all 4 bears and the wolf pack doing their patrols- other than that there seems much less there than before Bristol shut its doors- they’re quite vocal about the big swap etc but to the occasional (about 2-3 times a year) visitor its actually worse off for it and there seems less species to draw people in from a public perspective.

Highlight of the trip other than bear wood was watching the busy weaver birds in the lovely walled garden section, cheetah weren’t around even though we checked in a few times and the savannah section seemed somewhat lacking.

all in all not left a good impression- we went mid week to avoid the weekend rush to allow time to watch and wait at enclosures and still weren’t at all enthused- I know there’s big things on the horizon but it definitely still wasn’t worth the entry fee and won’t be going back until much more work has been done.

final bug bear being that they’ve got a classic mediocre zoo exhibit with 2 old Pygmy wethers eating and being generally fat, when they could have some sort of rare breed and at least be contributing something to a more worthwhile cause than 2 fat wethers only fit for a curry!
 
littlezoo_keeper said:
Visited mid week last week and have to say I was wholly unimpressed. Being a Bristol resident I did used to enjoy having both wild place and bz on the doorstep, and was excited when there was news of the 2 sites merging and thought it a good thing as more space at the new site etc etc.

Bear wood I think (and always have thought) is incredible, and we were lucky to see 4x wolverines, 1x lynx, all 4 bears and the wolf pack doing their patrols- other than that there seems much less there than before Bristol shut its doors- they’re quite vocal about the big swap etc but to the occasional (about 2-3 times a year) visitor its actually worse off for it and there seems less species to draw people in from a public perspective.

Highlight of the trip other than bear wood was watching the busy weaver birds in the lovely walled garden section, cheetah weren’t around even though we checked in a few times and the savannah section seemed somewhat lacking.

all in all not left a good impression- we went mid week to avoid the weekend rush to allow time to watch and wait at enclosures and still weren’t at all enthused- I know there’s big things on the horizon but it definitely still wasn’t worth the entry fee and won’t be going back until much more work has been done.

final bug bear being that they’ve got a classic mediocre zoo exhibit with 2 old Pygmy wethers eating and being generally fat, when they could have some sort of rare breed and at least be contributing something to a more worthwhile cause than 2 fat wethers only fit for a curry!
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Each to their own, but I am sorry you felt this way.

I too visited (again) recently over the weekend and It while it was busy, it was great to see lots of people (especially lots of families) enjoying the park and connecting with nature.

It cant really be compared to the old Bristol Zoo, I used to get quite defensive about the old zoo and It was quite sad for me personally when it closed down, particularly as it had been the first zoo I had ever visited as a child. However I have been quite impressed by the 'Bristol Zoo Project/Wild Place' and what they are trying to achieve in the form of a modern conservation zoo.

The bear wood is rather unique and its always great seeing the animals there, especialy the bears of course. I do like how many staff/volunteers are on hand to teach visitors about the animals , and they do have several keeper talks a day as well (Bear wood has x2 a day) as well as they seem to very knowledgeable and open to questions etc.

As I understand it while not as many of the animals from the old zoo came to WW/BZP in the end sadly, but the Gorillas are still at the old zoo currently and eventually the troop will join to the BZP/WW too.

The Giraffes are always quite active as well as the Geladas, the Lemur walkway is really good too and as I understand it they have recently obtained some blue-eyed black lemurs too, although I didnt get to see them as I was pressed for time.

To be fair, I'd say the entry fee for BZP/WW is probably slightly below average for Zoos, generally they tend to be around £25-35 entry fee these days, which is why Its well worth being a member.
 
GeeZee said:
To be fair, I'd say the entry fee for BZP/WW is probably slightly below average for Zoos, generally they tend to be around £25-35 entry fee these days, which is why Its well worth being a member.
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£25/35 maybe to go to Yorkshire, Chester or Paradise, but most zoos are in and around the £15-25 mark and whilst Wild Place is £15 to visit if you book in advance, there really isn't a lot there at all. Granted it's a work in progress, but for me personally, I would rather visit Cotswold Wildlife Park which is £2 more when booking in advance, or Noahs Ark, which is £9 more.

I get the way @littlezoo_keeper feels. I spent most of my life going to Bristol Zoo, having grown up in Bedminster and I have fond memories of Bristol Zoo. Sadly, for me Wild Place or Bristol Zoo Project as it's now called, just doesn't grab me. The Zoo was progressing nicely whilst Bristol Zoo was open, but in the year prior to BZ closing and the year after, we've only seen the Spotted Deer and Ostrich arrive. Talks initially of a rebrand and big opening as the main zoo in the summer of 2024 has met numerous setbacks and work hasn't even started on the Gorilla exhibit.

They stated at the end of last year, the new entrance, visitor centre and café would be built where the Walled Garden is, so what does that mean for the species in that area. Personally, I like the Walled Garden.

We know Meerkats aren't part of the plan, but what about the Gelada's? They are a very old group, mainly in their late teens and some early 20s. They are very much at the end of life stage, so what happens to that exhibit.

Recently one of the Cheetah's has left and the remaining two aren't always easy to see.

The Lemur walk-through has seen one of it's species leave and whilst Red Panda's are reportedly on the horizon soon, according to some, for me it feels very much like Bear Wood is the only real attraction at the zoo at present.

They must have lost a lot of trade to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, which has Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Gibbons and Bears. I think it will take Bristol Zoo Project a long time to get back or keep the clients that Bristol Zoo had. The public transport out to Bristol Zoo Project is not very good either, whilst Noahs Ark has a bus stop right outside the zoo.

I still miss the Okapi at WPP and hope they return soon.

But, for me personally, Bristol Zoo Project is a 1-3 hour visit max, I would very much struggle to spend a day there, yet all the nearby zoos I could spend a day at.

The arrival of Gorillas, Red Panda's, and Rhino by 2025 will help, but it's a long way away.

2 weeks ago, BZP put out a newsletter and multiple social media posts offering lifetime membership for £1000 and saying the first 20 purchasers would get to go to Bristol Zoo and see the Gorillas at a special lifetime member event. This offer has been plugged twice since, including at the weekend, which suggests they haven't even managed to get 20 people to commit to it, and given they used to have a zoo in the wealthiest area of Bristol, that says a lot about the support the zoo has from the locals.
 
Alwaysevergreen said:
£25/35 maybe to go to Yorkshire, Chester or Paradise, but most zoos are in and around the £15-25 mark and whilst Wild Place is £15 to visit if you book in advance, there really isn't a lot there at all. Granted it's a work in progress, but for me personally, I would rather visit Cotswold Wildlife Park which is £2 more when booking in advance, or Noahs Ark, which is £9 more.

I get the way @littlezoo_keeper feels. I spent most of my life going to Bristol Zoo, having grown up in Bedminster and I have fond memories of Bristol Zoo. Sadly, for me Wild Place or Bristol Zoo Project as it's now called, just doesn't grab me. The Zoo was progressing nicely whilst Bristol Zoo was open, but in the year prior to BZ closing and the year after, we've only seen the Spotted Deer and Ostrich arrive. Talks initially of a rebrand and big opening as the main zoo in the summer of 2024 has met numerous setbacks and work hasn't even started on the Gorilla exhibit.

They stated at the end of last year, the new entrance, visitor centre and café would be built where the Walled Garden is, so what does that mean for the species in that area. Personally, I like the Walled Garden.

We know Meerkats aren't part of the plan, but what about the Gelada's? They are a very old group, mainly in their late teens and some early 20s. They are very much at the end of life stage, so what happens to that exhibit.

Recently one of the Cheetah's has left and the remaining two aren't always easy to see.

The Lemur walk-through has seen one of it's species leave and whilst Red Panda's are reportedly on the horizon soon, according to some, for me it feels very much like Bear Wood is the only real attraction at the zoo at present.

They must have lost a lot of trade to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, which has Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Gibbons and Bears. I think it will take Bristol Zoo Project a long time to get back or keep the clients that Bristol Zoo had. The public transport out to Bristol Zoo Project is not very good either, whilst Noahs Ark has a bus stop right outside the zoo.

I still miss the Okapi at WPP and hope they return soon.

But, for me personally, Bristol Zoo Project is a 1-3 hour visit max, I would very much struggle to spend a day there, yet all the nearby zoos I could spend a day at.

The arrival of Gorillas, Red Panda's, and Rhino by 2025 will help, but it's a long way away.

2 weeks ago, BZP put out a newsletter and multiple social media posts offering lifetime membership for £1000 and saying the first 20 purchasers would get to go to Bristol Zoo and see the Gorillas at a special lifetime member event. This offer has been plugged twice since, including at the weekend, which suggests they haven't even managed to get 20 people to commit to it, and given they used to have a zoo in the wealthiest area of Bristol, that says a lot about the support the zoo has from the locals.
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Lots of fair points. Okapi are synonymous with this site and in my opinion they should be the first priority after the Gorilla troop and essential infrastructure.
 
Thanks for the response, It goes back to personal preference at the end of the day, but I do think BZ and BZP are worlds apart , but naturally they will always be compared to one another, even though BZP aims and aspirations are entirely different as to what a zoo should be and for sure it is a work in progress and I do hope it will succeed.

BZP is quality over quantity, and honestly the 'Bear Wood' area is probably one of the best exhibits I have ever visited and I do like that there are many different view points and that bears and wolves etc can mix together, as they would have done in the past, I believe this is a first for that. In addition, the Bear Wood area is not far off the size of the entire old BZ.

In your list you dont mention the blue-eyed black lemurs either which have recently arrived, but yes I do agree that public transport to BZP is not ideal, I also feel that the gift shop is too small but presumably that will be used as something else once new visitor centre is built.
 
Alwaysevergreen said:
We know Meerkats aren't part of the plan, but what about the Gelada's? They are a very old group, mainly in their late teens and some early 20s. They are very much at the end of life stage, so what happens to that exhibit.
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If I remember rightly, this enclosure only had temporary planning permission, so perhaps it will be razed when the Geladas die off?
 
I enjoy visiting it, I didn’t spend much time at Bristol as there were other closer places with equally good or better things to see, so the difference factor isn’t there for me. I can see how if Bristol had been my ‘local’ I’d be a bit gutted however.

If it didn’t have bear wood it wouldn’t be on my regular list but I enjoy that exhibit a lot so it’s well worth the trip. I like the walled garden too it’ll be a shame to pull it down. The lemurs are also good. And I like the ambience and the paths through the woods. That adds something for me that some other places don’t have.

Each time I’ve been the car park has been rammed and there’s been a queue so it appears pretty popular though not on the scale of larger places - once they get the gorillas and other animals I guess they will need a larger car park.

In comparison to the old zoo it’s clearly miles different. But I enjoy it for being spacious and giving good views of things I want to see. What it has it does well. I’d agree it’s far from a ‘complete’ zoo in terms of quantity but maybe that’s part of the charm. It’ll be interesting to see how it adds animals as it feels the most ‘WIP’ of any place I visit.
 
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