A UK zoo operator has unveiled plans to relocate to a new site to protect the future of its much-loved animal park.
British Zoological Society (BZS) has announced Bristol Zoo will be moving to its Wild Place Project site, where modern zoo facilities, education hubs and conservation facilities are set to be developed.
Deciding on a move hasn’t come easy to BZS, who has cited declining visitor numbers and the forced closures imposed through the pandemic has given them no choice but to sell the original Clifton site and merge with Wild Place Project, to create one big park.
By moving, Bristol Zoo officials believe they will be able to offer world-class and engaging animal attractions which will invite millions of future generations to the park.
Centrepieces of the new facility are set to include an Urban Conservation Hub which will be housed in the zoo’s main entrance – this will share the captivating history of Clifton, where Bristol Zoo called home for the last 185 years.
The new premises are also expected to be at heart of Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project, by being a beacon of environmental sustainability and wildlife conservation. Along with housing a Bristol Zoo Gardens heritage exhibition and a visitor café.
Video from BZS, which unveils the plans to relocate
Dr Bryan Carroll, the former Chief Executive of BZS is playing an integral role in helping Bristol Zoo reimagine its operations and move to a new site.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr Carroll said: “Bristol Zoo has always been at the forefront of leading the transformation in the way animals are cared for, protected and understood. We want to be able to continue that legacy, now and for decades to come.
“But Bristol Zoo Gardens is only 12 acres in size and over many years the number of large animal species has reduced significantly, and this trend will only continue. As much as we all love the Clifton site, it is no longer the best place to achieve our ambitious vision for what a modern-day zoo should be.
“The best place to progress our forward-thinking vision is at the Wild Place Project site, which is more than 10 times the size of Bristol Zoo Gardens and offers such a fantastic opportunity to continue the world-class work we have always been known for.”
Visitors are able to enjoy Bristol Zoo Gardens for a while longer, with plans to keep the original site open until 2022. Wild Place Project will also continue to operate normal before relaunching as Bristol Zoo in 2024.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong Disneyland has closed for the third time due to COVID 19 concerns.
