Bristol Zoo Project Bristol zoo project news 2025

FBBird said:
I would expect the young ones to take their cue from the adults, who’ll just be going, ‘Yeah, people. Seen those before, not very interesting, now where did I put that stick of celery?’
Click to expand...
Exactly. Apenheul, the primate park in the Netherlands, is closed during several months each winter so the gorillas (and everything else there) routinely don't see any visitors for a sizeable chunk of the year - no-one bothers to specially re-acquaint them with crowds the first day it opens each spring I'm sure.
 
Charles said:
Visited today, I second a lot of the points about the tropical house, especially the temperature as I’ve never been in any indoor exhibit as hot as that

the reason the mouse deer aren’t visible is because they aren’t in yet apparently there moving in next week which I presume will be the hard launch of the tropical house

it does seem like you see more the quieter it is in there as I went twice and the second time it was us and the volenteer and managed to see a lot more

I am glad at what they’ve added and while I wish there were more endangered bird species, the ones they’ve added are bright and colourful (I am a sucker for a colourful bird)

everything else seems quite normal, saw the ostrich finally sat on the eggs which was unusual and the second time in a row where I’ve caught the giraffe having training, before being hoof checks and today their weight being taken

I am hopeful that we get more arrivals before the African Forest opening as it would be nice to see the zoo fill out a bit more
Click to expand...

Interesting that you went in the Tropical House in May and there were birds inside. We visited the day after the member preview and were told they were having heat issues, we've been once a month since and the building was always closed. In August it was open but there were no animals inside at all, it was set up as a conservation learning exhibit. They must have removed all the species they had added due to the heat issues.

My son found this page today on the website Bristol Zoo Project which made us think it was open but I think it was uncovered via a Google search and may not actually be "live" on the site since it talks about bringing the Mouse Deer in May and Beetles in early June both of which have now come and gone.
 
pixel_pioneer said:
Interesting that you went in the Tropical House in May and there were birds inside. We visited the day after the member preview and were told they were having heat issues, we've been once a month since and the building was always closed. In August it was open but there were no animals inside at all, it was set up as a conservation learning exhibit. They must have removed all the species they had added due to the heat issues.

My son found this page today on the website Bristol Zoo Project which made us think it was open but I think it was uncovered via a Google search and may not actually be "live" on the site since it talks about bringing the Mouse Deer in May and Beetles in early June both of which have now come and gone.
Click to expand...
I’ve been regularly since this post and just lost hope, it was boiling and the birds in their were panting, it would be nice if it reopened but I’ve started to lose hope with a lot of BZP projects as almost all of the more recent ones have had huge delays
 
Charles said:
I’ve been regularly since this post and just lost hope, it was boiling and the birds in their were panting, it would be nice if it reopened but I’ve started to lose hope with a lot of BZP projects as almost all of the more recent ones have had huge delays
Click to expand...
I think they are struggling with the finances which is why apart from the new gorilla build, everything seems very basic still. It's still operating more as a small wildlife park rather than a mainstream zoo collection.
 
It does seem that they are struggling financially - I'm starting to wonder if the gorillas will be moved over this year at all. We were regular visitors when it was the Wild Place and much preferred it then because it was so much quieter.
 
Charles said:
NEW ANIMAL ALERT!!!!!

Bristol Zoo Project on Instagram: "POV: You just told Agatha you ate all her lettuce Our new arrival has been enjoying her new home in the Walled Garden - spot her in the village weaver habitat on your next zoo visit!"

a new tortoise named Agatha has moved into the village weavers avairy, I’m not sure what species of tortoise myself though as it is just a picture no further details
Click to expand...
Do they just have the one radiated tortoise or is F Agatha part of a to be larger breeding group with an Madagascar aspect to it (Mind you ... Wild Place/New Bristol Zoo has had a great connection with Madagascar and has a nice diverse lemur collection).
 
Visited today, last time for a while

I saw Agatha which was a big reason for my visit and managed to see everything apart from the peacock pheasant and pink pigeon (didn’t go to bear wood)

There’s more work on sanctuary garden making it more of a formal garden which was nice

only other update is a large magnificent tree by the giraffe viewing area fell onto the Benoue school house during the storms and has been significantly damaged so unsure of that buildings future
 
Visited today.

Updates from volunteers:

2 addax arriving on Wednesday for savannah. Work going on today on path alongside house (opp lemur walk through) to upgrade path.

Sitatunga arriving to go where ostrich are as area floods and so perfect for species.

Gorillas due to move in October, on show hopefully from March.

Work on both new houses and landscaping is progressing well.
 
polarbear said:
Visited today.

Updates from volunteers:

2 addax arriving on Wednesday for savannah. Work going on today on path alongside house (opp lemur walk through) to upgrade path.

Sitatunga arriving to go where ostrich are as area floods and so perfect for species.

Gorillas due to move in October, on show hopefully from March.

Work on both new houses and landscaping is progressing well.
Click to expand...
Thanks. This is all good news. I was there last week and was a little shocked at the size & scale of the brutalist concrete wall that separates the outdoor gorilla enclosures. It looks like the Twycross prison-like wall. I hope I’m wrong, but from the view I had, it didn’t look great!
Addax and Sitatunga will be welcome additions.
The tropical butterfly tunnel is now open to walk through, even though there are no animals in there yet. It is small, but it has been done very well.
The pizza in the tent next to the cheetah is VERY very good & highly recommended!!
 
TriUK said:
Thanks. This is all good news. I was there last week and was a little shocked at the size & scale of the brutalist concrete wall that separates the outdoor gorilla enclosures. It looks like the Twycross prison-like wall. I hope I’m wrong, but from the view I had, it didn’t look great!
Addax and Sitatunga will be welcome additions.
The tropical butterfly tunnel is now open to walk through, even though there are no animals in there yet. It is small, but it has been done very well.
The pizza in the tent next to the cheetah is VERY very good & highly recommended!!
Click to expand...

I also noticed the scale of the concrete wall but hope it will blend in a bit over time. I really hate the Twycross chimp prison enclosure too due to the use of all that concrete and hope the new orang enclosure there will be nothing like it. The volunteers at BZP were oblivious to the wall when I asked them about it and kept telling me it was the wooden hoardings with the paintings on. I’d seen it from the woods by the red river hogs but it couldn’t be seen from the giraffe viewing where I was talking to the volunteers.

We also walked through the Tropical House. Nicely done, hope it will have a few animals in otherwise it will be a waste.
 
polarbear said:
Sitatunga arriving to go where ostrich are as area floods and so perfect for species.

Gorillas due to move in October, on show hopefully from March.

.
Click to expand...

Refreshing to see somewhere taking in the species love of water when planning a new exhibit, it doesn't always happen. Addax is another good addition too and good to hear about the gorillas too. Becoming more like a real collection now.
 
TriUK said:
Thanks. This is all good news. I was there last week and was a little shocked at the size & scale of the brutalist concrete wall that separates the outdoor gorilla enclosures. It looks like the Twycross prison-like wall. I hope I’m wrong, but from the view I had, it didn’t look great!
Click to expand...
Is there a water moat around both outdoor enclosures or just the main one do you think?
 
Pertinax said:
Is there a water moat around both outdoor enclosures or just the main one do you think?
Click to expand...
I’m not quite sure, it’s difficult to decipher from current limited viewing but also from the artist’s impressions. I ‘think’ that the main gorilla island has both a water mist and another non-water type barrier. There are lots of new trees in pots and bagged in roots alongside the path to the gorilla house from the lemur enclosures, which I hope will be planted alongside the path between the giraffe and gorilla areas, as well as near the brutalist wall (without creating an escape route)?
Yes, Okapi really should return, as they have a history at this site and they ‘fit’ with the species habitat theming here, and it’s relatively quiet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top