Bristol Zoo (Closed) Bristol Zoo News 2019

Noticed on the Bristol Zoo website that they have published the Bristol Zoological Society's plan to 2025 which covers the main zoo and also Wild Place. Have extracted a portion of the text which talks about their plans for both sites.

The Bristol Zoo plans leave me a little nervous about what they mean I hope they are not going to turn the place into too much like a theme park as I think that would spoil the character of the place. I'd much prefer them to focus on the smaller species at the main zoo, with the exception of the gorillas as their showpiece exhibit. Wild Place is ideally suited for the bigger ticket species where they have the space to showcase them properly.

Extract from the plan (see below):

Our zoos
We will develop Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place to be more distinct from each
other through the delivery of a bold and compelling new vision for Bristol Zoo Gardens
and the continued development of Wild Place. Both must recognise and exploit the
increasing value that consumers place on ‘experiences’ and the opportunity to escape
everyday life.

Bristol Zoo Gardens will become Britain’s first animal discovery centre, where visitors
can learn to live as animals do and experience what it is like to be an animal living in
a particular environment. A series of fun, immersive and interactive ‘life zones’ will
encourage visitors to dive in and understand how animals have adapted to survive in
different habitats and help determine what the future for these animals might be.
Each ‘life zone’ will be highly immersive, with walkthrough exhibits of charismatic animal
species; opportunities for visitors to test their ability to adapt to different environments
through play and interaction; and a significant use of theatre and drama to ensure that
each has a distinct character and personality.

In contrast, Wild Place will continue to develop as Britain’s global wildlife adventure,
where visitors will be transported as explorers to discover animals in the world’s wild
places, learning about the importance of their habitats and what the future of these
might be. Each wild place will be a naturalistic habitat, with large, charismatic ‘flagship’
animal species that visitors ‘discover’ as they explore.

Link to the plan
 
yeah I read that too. I took it to mean "charismatic" as in like the meerkats would be "charismatic" this worries me as I love all the birds, not a big pull for other visitors. Maybe they may put the raccoons in a more visible area, I currently have to hang on a fence to sketch them. How far they go theme park wise would be a concern xx[/QUOTE]
 
think its a reaction to this in their annual review of 2018
"2018 was a challenging year, with total visitor attendance figures at Bristol Zoo Gardens 8.6% lower than in 2017, whilst at Wild Place Project total attendance increased by 0.9%. A new Strategy for the Society will be launched in 2019 to address this situation."
 
The 2 violet Turaco chicks have fledged. the Hottentot teals and Masked plovers have temporarily been moved in with the crested pigeons, princess parrots and hoopoes. they will be moved back as soon as possible. the Turacos were getting figity so needed to have the aviary to themselves for a bit. I also got to meet Bristol zoos wildlife illustrator!! i was very excited x
 
Desertas wolf spiders have been bred for a second time at Bristol Zoo, with over 500 spiderlings born to two different females. One egg-sac is being hand-reared by keepers after the mother spider died. Both of the females that produced the eggs were among the first born in captivity in the world.

More information is included in the link below:
World’s rarest spider born at Bristol Zoo Gardens | Bristol Zoo
 
Had a pleasant visit today. Saw a young Malagasy giant jumping rat in Twilight World and a brown spider monkey has been born in the last week or so. Gorilla house was closed today for a standard vetinery procedure. A couple of the gorillas came out for the feeding talk but that was it.
 
migdog said:
Had a pleasant visit today. Saw a young Malagasy giant jumping rat in Twilight World and a brown spider monkey has been born in the last week or so. Gorilla house was closed today for a standard vetinery procedure. A couple of the gorillas came out for the feeding talk but that was it.
Click to expand...
Did you notice if the male Drill was still there?
 
migdog said:
Had a pleasant visit today. Saw a young Malagasy giant jumping rat in Twilight World and a brown spider monkey has been born in the last week or so. Gorilla house was closed today for a standard vetinery procedure. A couple of the gorillas came out for the feeding talk but that was it.
Click to expand...

Gorilla House was still closed today, so hopefully no serious problems.

Today was my first visit to Bristol Zoo in more than four years. Unfortunately I found my visit a little concerning. The northern boundary remains excellent, with the obvious exception of the lion enclosure (much bigger than I remember, I am convinced the footprint and existing infrastructure make snow leopards a good choice to replace the current inhabitants). The Twilight House, Reptile House, Aquarium and Insect House are the backbone of the zoo.

I have always considered Penguin and Seal Coast to be excellent; I am unsure if that is indeed the case. It was partially closed to allow for work to be done in the aviary. I found the underwater viewing to be a bit grubby; perhaps this lower area needs redecorating. The fur seal pool is only going to look smaller every year, and whilst the aviary is very good the penguin/tern mix seems to becoming more and more common. This exhibit, on this visit at least, no longer 'anchored' the southern side of the zoo.

There isn't much to say about the Tree Kangaroo Aviary, which hadn't opened on my previous visit. Hopefully the history of the exhibit are known to readers; in its current form it is a borderline failure, as the aviary is unused and the tree kangaroo exhibits look rushed and out of place. Nice views of an unusual animal, but that's about all I can say.

When I read the plans mentioned several posts prior, I was quite concerned. It reads as if they plan to develop Wild Place into a major zoo and the Clifton site in sort of the opposite direction. After today's visit I am almost inclined to say this would be a good thing. If Wild Place does become what we probably all want it to then Bristol ZG will need to distinguish itself. Only a sheer madman would interfere with the good parts of the zoo: the aforementioned northern avenue as well as the primate islands. Almost everything else, I would argue, could be considered up for grabs in terms of reworking the site for the future.
 
FunkyGibbon said:
Gorilla House was still closed today, so hopefully no serious problems.

Today was my first visit to Bristol Zoo in more than four years. Unfortunately I found my visit a little concerning. The northern boundary remains excellent, with the obvious exception of the lion enclosure (much bigger than I remember, I am convinced the footprint and existing infrastructure make snow leopards a good choice to replace the current inhabitants). The Twilight House, Reptile House, Aquarium and Insect House are the backbone of the zoo.

I have always considered Penguin and Seal Coast to be excellent; I am unsure if that is indeed the case. It was partially closed to allow for work to be done in the aviary. I found the underwater viewing to be a bit grubby; perhaps this lower area needs redecorating. The fur seal pool is only going to look smaller every year, and whilst the aviary is very good the penguin/tern mix seems to becoming more and more common. This exhibit, on this visit at least, no longer 'anchored' the southern side of the zoo.

There isn't much to say about the Tree Kangaroo Aviary, which hadn't opened on my previous visit. Hopefully the history of the exhibit are known to readers; in its current form it is a borderline failure, as the aviary is unused and the tree kangaroo exhibits look rushed and out of place. Nice views of an unusual animal, but that's about all I can say.

When I read the plans mentioned several posts prior, I was quite concerned. It reads as if they plan to develop Wild Place into a major zoo and the Clifton site in sort of the opposite direction. After today's visit I am almost inclined to say this would be a good thing. If Wild Place does become what we probably all want it to then Bristol ZG will need to distinguish itself. Only a sheer madman would interfere with the good parts of the zoo: the aforementioned northern avenue as well as the primate islands. Almost everything else, I would argue, could be considered up for grabs in terms of reworking the site for the future.
Click to expand...
Call me old-fashioned, but I rather miss the old Whipsnade Paddock, on the site of the present Seal & Penguin Coasts. Nice mixed exhibit with Peafowl, Axis Deer, Red Kangaroos, Demoiselle Cranes & White Storks.
 
FBBird said:
Call me old-fashioned, but I rather miss the old Whipsnade Paddock, on the site of the present Seal & Penguin Coasts. Nice mixed exhibit with Peafowl, Axis Deer, Red Kangaroos, Demoiselle Cranes & White Storks.
Click to expand...

...and the Clifton College clock striking the time. My last few visits I have not noticed it anymore- has it been silenced?
 
Do any of my fellow Zoochatters have an update on Kala the female gorilla who's baby daughter passed away at only a week old? I'm wondering if she's recovered and able too have further offspring?
Also does anybody know if Kukena Salomie and Jocks daughter will be moving on anytime soon? Also is Kera Affias mum able too have another child or is she on contraception due too how close to death she came while pregnant with Affia
 
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