Bristol Zoo will be moving from its Clifton home to the Wild Place Project site in South Gloucestershire to ‘safeguard its future’, the Bristol Zoological Society announced on Friday 27 November 2020.
To protect the future of the organisation, the Bristol Zoo Gardens site in Clifton will be sold, with the animals moving to Wild Place Project’s expansive 136-acre site – over ten times the size of their current home.
The relocation is said to allow for a huge growth in conservation efforts, while giving Bristol Zoo more space to meet the needs of its existing residents. There will also be improved facilities and an emphasis on visitor experience.
Dr Justin Morris, chief executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: ‘This new strategy presents an opportunity to create a world-class zoo that sets the standard for a modern, forward-looking zoo in the 21st century.
‘It will be an inspiring, immersive wildlife experience with conservation and sustainability at its heart, where animals will have the space and facilities to thrive.’
England’s 2020 lockdown was the second time Bristol Zoo Gardens had to close during the Coronavirus crisis, with Bristol also due to have Tier 3 restrictions from December 2020 – all of which have had a devastating impact on visitor numbers this year.
Bristol Zoo will continue to welcome visitors to its Clifton site until 2022, with the new Bristol Zoo set to open in 2024.
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