Kalaw
Well-Known Member
On September 3rd, Bristol Zoo Gardens, one of the most beloved and unique zoos in the United Kingdom, sadly closed its doors. The zoo will be relocating much of its former collection to its sister collection, the Wild Place Project in South Gloucestershire, about 9 kilometres (as the crow flies) from the centre of Bristol and about 7.5 kilometres from the original site. However given how many species will be sent to other collections as opposed to WPP, many have viewed this decision not as relocation, but instead as the closure of Bristol Zoo. Regardless of which of the two you consider to be more accurate (personally speaking, I am divided), one cannot deny that the Bristol that so many members of this forum knew and loved is gone.
It was unexpected, in many ways. Small, roadside zoos close down all the time, and often this feels like the right decision. But Bristol was different, because it was a very good zoo. Much of the feelings that myself and others on this forum have towards Bristol do come from personal bias, but with its astonishing animal houses for Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, Invertebrates and Nocturnal species, coupled with its abundance of rarities, which history and outstanding use of a small and restricting site, you will be hard-pressed to deny that it isn't at least in the top 15 (maybe 10, in my case 5) UK zoos.
For me, this begged a question. What other good zoos have sadly been forced into closure. What other gems have sadly been lost? Whether it be due to personal bias or outstanding quality, which now-closed zoos do you miss the most?
P.S. Sorry if there is already a thread for this. I had a brief search and couldn't find anything, but perhaps an existent thread flew under my radar.
It was unexpected, in many ways. Small, roadside zoos close down all the time, and often this feels like the right decision. But Bristol was different, because it was a very good zoo. Much of the feelings that myself and others on this forum have towards Bristol do come from personal bias, but with its astonishing animal houses for Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, Invertebrates and Nocturnal species, coupled with its abundance of rarities, which history and outstanding use of a small and restricting site, you will be hard-pressed to deny that it isn't at least in the top 15 (maybe 10, in my case 5) UK zoos.
For me, this begged a question. What other good zoos have sadly been forced into closure. What other gems have sadly been lost? Whether it be due to personal bias or outstanding quality, which now-closed zoos do you miss the most?
P.S. Sorry if there is already a thread for this. I had a brief search and couldn't find anything, but perhaps an existent thread flew under my radar.
). Now, only the waterpark remains, and why go there when Costa Caribe, Marineland and Aquápolis offer so much more and don't depress me? The biggest reminders of these tragedies, to me, are Bully the elephant and Pedro the white rhinoceros at the Barcelona Zoo, who used to live in the herbivore safari all those years ago. The place is still open, but... Aqualeón has forever lost its "León".
