Bristol Zoo Project Bristol zoo project news 2025

Rajang-GOAT said:
Our new African Forest habitat is taking shape!
Bristol Zoo Project have today shared an update on the construction of the African Forest exhibit, showing the foundations of the enclosures due to open in 2026.
Click to expand...

Good to see confirmation in the video description that the African Forest section will house okapi and mandrills in the future, as well as the species currently being built for.
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Good to see confirmation in the video description that the African Forest section will house okapi and mandrills in the future, as well as the species currently being built for.
Click to expand...
Yes it's great to see them doubling down and committing to their plans, especially when things don't seem to have been completely straightforward for BZS following the closure of Bristol Zoo Gardens. I imagine those two additional enclosures (which will be great additions) could follow a couple of years or so after the first phase of the African Forest has opened, hopefully all goes well.
 
I couldn't figure out where the large Gorilla outdoor island will be from this but presume its in the larger treed section adjacent to the building? There's a smaller area with trees that already looks a bit like an 'island' but I think that is the access tracks for the site traffic that give that impression.
 
Pertinax said:
I couldn't figure out where the large Gorilla outdoor island will be from this but presume its in the larger treed section adjacent to the building? There's a smaller area with trees that already looks a bit like an 'island' but I think that is the access tracks for the site traffic that give that impression.
Click to expand...

I don’t have the photos any longer from on site of the plans, but think it’s a series of islands that are connected. When looking at the video you can see a couple of places where there are retaining walls being built for the moats. I’ve looked on the BZP website but can only find artist’s impressions of the islands, rather than the plans that are on site. Does anyone else have them / can link to the plans?
 
polarbear said:
I don’t have the photos any longer from on site of the plans, but think it’s a series of islands that are connected. When looking at the video you can see a couple of places where there are retaining walls being built for the moats. I’ve looked on the BZP website but can only find artist’s impressions of the islands, rather than the plans that are on site. Does anyone else have them / can link to the plans?
Click to expand...
I have these plans:
Projects I Bristol Zoo Project
Bristol Zoo Project: Masterplan and Central… | Grant Associates
I'm pretty sure it's meant to be one big island with a wall splitting it and I'm guessing the two fenced off areas are the sections of trees/vegetation being protected, ready to be worked around. Perhaps those access tracks are where the wall splitting the two parts will go? It appears that work on the moat is already happening on the side of the development closest to the Benoue National Park savannah.
 
Rajang-GOAT said:
I have these plans:
Projects I Bristol Zoo Project
Bristol Zoo Project: Masterplan and Central… | Grant Associates
I'm pretty sure it's meant to be one big island with a wall splitting it and I'm guessing the two fenced off areas are the sections of trees/vegetation being protected, ready to be worked around. Perhaps those access tracks are where the wall splitting the two parts will go? It appears that work on the moat is already happening on the side of the development closest to the Benoue National Park savannah.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the link. This plan makes it much easier to see it’s one island, split into two as you mentioned.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8843.jpeg
    IMG_8843.jpeg
    202.5 KB · Views: 15
jtrbmvcq said:
I imagine they will give the gorillas full access to the island when they move. I imagine it’s split in two to provide insurance for future in case of situations like the mangabeys can no longer be mixed, there are breakdowns in the gorilla troop or there is a necessity to hold a bachelor group also etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe the 'recommendation' for new builds from the EEP is that they are designed to be able to hold more than one group- if necessary. Always trying to alleviate the 'male' problem with more potential bachelor group accomodation. But could be used for the monkeys also.
 
Last edited:
jtrbmvcq said:
I imagine they will give the gorillas full access to the island when they move. I imagine it’s split in two to provide insurance for future in case of situations like the mangabeys can no longer be mixed, there are breakdowns in the gorilla troop or there is a necessity to hold a bachelor group also etc.
Click to expand...
Bristol Zoo society and zoo management is active in various conservation initiatives in West Africa (WAPCA + plus others - drills, mangabeys, colobus and various other rare primates like Roloway meerkat ...). It is thus highly likely they will also look to have additional spaces for primates like white-naped mangabeys or Roloway meerkat or drill.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Bristol Zoo society and zoo management is active in various conservation initiatives in West Africa (WAPCA + plus others - drills, mangabeys, colobus and various other rare primates like Roloway meerkat ...). It is thus highly likely they will also look to have additional spaces for primates like white-naped mangabeys or Roloway meerkat or drill.
Click to expand...
Cherry-capped mangabey are to be housed in the gorilla house and mixed with the gorillas. Mandrill are planned for future.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
It is thus highly likely they will also look to have additional spaces for primates like white-naped mangabeys or Roloway meerkat or drill.
Click to expand...

As mentioned above, Cherry-crowned Mangabey have been chosen. Also Mandrills in future. They are going for the most colourful ones. They had Drills at the old zoo but for some reason chose to send them away and not continue with them at the newer zoo site.
 
Having looked at that aerial footage some more it looks like there are two smaller areas of trees that are encircled- one being the one that I previously thought was surrounded by access tracks. So it looks like they will form either two seperate islands, or form two seperate wooded areas of one larger island. Its a bit clearer to me this time around.
 
Charles said:
Bristol zoo gardens main site has been sold

Sale contracts exchanged on old zoo site - Bristol Zoo Project
Click to expand...

Important to note that the statement includes this caveat:

At the same time, we are making it clear to our supporters that while this is a major step forward, the relentless campaign of legal challenges and misinformation that we are being forced to defend, led by those against our plans to close the old site and develop a new zoo at Bristol Zoo Project are preventing us from receiving the vital funds from the sale.

The Judicial Review due to be heard in May this year, two years after the original planning permission for Bristol Zoo Gardens was approved, is the latest in a series of legal threats brought against the Society, costing thousands of pounds of charitable funds.

These actions are slowing down the creation of a new zoo at Bristol Zoo Project, impacting our ability to carry out vital conservation work and undermining the amazing efforts of our staff and volunteers.
Click to expand...
 
Cobi said:
Important to note that the statement includes this caveat:
Click to expand...
What bugs me is not that some Bristolians oppose the relocation of the zoo and the sale of the original site for housing development while keeping the gardens and green areas intact (that is part and parcel of the sale deal ...), everyone is entitled to their opinions.
However what really annoys me no end is that the activism behind the drive to oppose the zoo relocation and redevelopment of te Clifton BZS site is their vendetta-like approach to it and the worst thing about it is that none of them have nor had any frigging interest in the old zoo, ex situ conservation and nature public awareness and et cetera, et cetera in the first place.

I remember when first the BZS communicated their intention to close Bristol Zoo Clifton site and relocate fully to the new Wild Place area ...., the wildest plans were proposed including a plastic animal zoo of sorts (I ask you ... what the hell has that to do with greenfields or nature or a green inner city location in Bristol!!!).

Honestly, it is about high time the opposition leaves the field completely bc they are not working in the interest of BZS, the new Bristol Zoo at WP nor any other inner city interests Bristolians might have ....! There is really little benefit in the May 2025 judicial case bc it is my reckoning that the judges will throw out the case on the grounds that all steps for legal transfer and sale have gone through with respect to transparency and the law guiding new developments and real estate/housing inner city.
 
P25/00145/F | Erection of temporary exhibit comprising of 1no. polytunnel, 1no. picnic shelter and the laying of hardstanding and drainage infrastructure for 5 year period. | Land At Wild Place Blackhorse Hill Easter Compton South Gloucestershire

Another big bit of news (a bit more exciting)

the plans for the temporary tropical house have been submitted

From what I can see, there’s 3 aviaries and the path (maybe another avairy but I’m unsure) a tortoise area (somewhere it said radiated tortoise) and a mouse deer enclosure (don’t know which type hopefully a rarer one)

overall it looks like a nice little edition, feels more BZG esc having another smaller animal area but the consultation is taking place on the 19th of feb so hopefully this will start construction soon and be open in early spring
 
Charles said:
P25/00145/F | Erection of temporary exhibit comprising of 1no. polytunnel, 1no. picnic shelter and the laying of hardstanding and drainage infrastructure for 5 year period. | Land At Wild Place Blackhorse Hill Easter Compton South Gloucestershire

Another big bit of news (a bit more exciting)

the plans for the temporary tropical house have been submitted

From what I can see, there’s 3 aviaries and the path (maybe another avairy but I’m unsure) a tortoise area (somewhere it said radiated tortoise) and a mouse deer enclosure (don’t know which type hopefully a rarer one)

overall it looks like a nice little edition, feels more BZG esc having another smaller animal area but the consultation is taking place on the 19th of feb so hopefully this will start construction soon and be open in early spring
Click to expand...
The mouse deer is defined as 'Malay mouse deer' in the proposed layout (as well as elsewhere) and the documents are very interesting in demonstrating the current/short term future plans of BZS so I would recommend anyone interested to have a look.

Edit: Some of the great detail expressed includes that the biomass boilers and structures (such as the polytunnel) used for this particular development will be repurposed from the Clifton zoo.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top