Bristol Monkey Temple- STORIES NEEDED

Z

zoonerd24

New Member
Guten Tag

Does anybody out there have any stories/recollections/opinions on the late Monkey Temple at Bristol Clifton Zoo. I say late because the monkeys are no longer with us, and it now houses plants. Any contribution is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
Bristol Monkey Temple

The zoo's last two Barbary Sheep were housed here with the monkeys. I'm almost sure it held Sumatran Tigers after the sheep & monkeys left.
 
The rhesus macaques were replaced by long-tailed macaques in later years of its existense as a Monkey Temple .
 
Strewth, The Bristol Zoo Monkey Temple! That takes me back a bit. Funny, I was at Bristol Zoo about five years ago at a BIAZA conference and I didn't think of it as I looked round the exhibits but when I was a kid we were often going to Bristol Zoo and after the lions the Monkey Temple was always the next attraction I wanted to visit.

Thinking back now 'm sure it was over populated with the monkeys, there seemed so many of them diving in and out of the temple and chasing all the bits and pieces people threw to them. Most bits and pieces wholly unsuitable I suspect.

I also remember, now with sadness, the constantly pacing polar bears in their 'pit' but at the time, I was about 5 or 6 years old, I was transfixed by just about all the animals.

I could go on - and on - and on!

The fact is though that had I not seen those animals when I was young, even though the conditions were far less than perfect, I don't believe that I would have grown up with such a love of animals.

I now have a (VERY mini) 'zoo' my daughter tells me. Not really but I keep goats, chipmunks, tortoises, chickens and ducks, a parrot, several types of parakeets, lovebirds, bees and a number of other animals and all that started at Bristol Zoo and The Monkey Temple.
 
FBBird said:
I'm almost sure it held Sumatran Tigers after the sheep & monkeys left.
Click to expand...

I think you are getting this confused with the old Polar Bear enclosure: Sumatran Tigers were held there in the mid-late 1990s (until the construction of Seal & Penguin Coasts began).
 
Bristol Monkey Temple

I remember the Tigers being in the Polar Bear enclosure, but have this vague recollection of seeing them in the Monkey Temple as well. This may have been a dream.
 
Monkey Temple.

Some Memories;

Occasional Monkeys would sometimes escape when the Zoo was quiet, and run around the wall or go a bit further, but normally returned of their own free will.

There was at least one mass breakout when someone placed a ladder for them to climb out. 35 Monkeys escaped apparently(see the recent 'Day Out at the Zoo' programme).

The Alpha(?) male would do a funny rythmic 'dance' on the dome of the Temple roof(the highest point)- this was featured on the opening montage of the Animal Magic T.V. series for a while.

I don't think Sumatran Tigers ever lived in there after the Monkeys & sheep left- it wouldn't have been safe- but I am not 100% certain.
 
I think that there was a plan to build a Tiger enclosure in that SW corner of the Zoo, which would have incorporated the Monkey Temple. Obviously, it didn't happen.

As an aside, I can remember it holding Crab-eating Macaques, but assume it was built for Rhesus. Anybody know about the stock held?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top