Bristol Zoo Project to invest £2m in transport improvements near M5 site

Bristol Zoo Project will be investing £2 million towards public highway improvements in the future as part of plans to improve the conservation zoo. It is one of a number of future developments including new exhibits, buildings and play facilities which will be coming to the site in Easter Compton.

The Bristol Zoo Project, formerly known as the Wild Place Project until Bristol Zoo Gardens moved out of the former Clifton site, is currently developing the Central African Forest habitat, which will start work later this month. It will become home to the critically endangered western lowland gorillas and endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys who will live together, a first for a UK zoo.

Bristol Zoo Project has exclusively told Bristol Live that the number of species at the zoo, currently 26, will more than treble in 2025. The Central African Forest is hoped to open next year, and the 44 species currently at the former Clifton site, including gorillas, snails and fish, will transfer to the new site.

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In July, a new conservation-themed adventure play area, known as Explorers Basecamp, will be open prior to the summer holidays and a number of other new developments will begin in phases over the next few years. New retail areas, catering facilities and a new Conservation Campus will come to the South Gloucestershire zoo to slowly fill up the 136 acre site.

Two-million pounds million will be spent on public highway improvements by the zoo, which will help create two new bus stops outside of the site, improving access for cyclists and pedestrians and to build a new onsite bus and coach pick-up/drop-off points. Electric vehicle charging points will be installed in the car park and a new footpath on Blackhorse Hill will be created.

A new Conservation Campus will be created on site which will become a new education and skills hub for the region. It will focus on conservation, veterinary medicine and animal breeding.

Visitors will be able to see veterinary procedures and see animals that are extinct in the wild and being bred for reintroduction. The breeding centre will become home to the world’s most threatened species of reptiles, amphibians, fish and birds.

Justin Morris, Chief Executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: “This is a hugely exciting time for us, as work gets underway this month on our new Central African Forest habitat. This is the first major development in our plan to create a new conservation zoo at Bristol Zoo Project. A second habitat, Central African Savannah, will also be created in the future and become home to black rhino and red-necked ostrich, joining our existing giraffe, zebra and cheetah.

“We will also be building a new Conservation Campus, which will include conservation, veterinary medicine, animal breeding and learning centres. This will create a new education and skills hub for the region, with 20 new learning spaces. In addition, it will provide teaching facilities for more than 600 students each year, participating in our higher education programmes, and help us on our way to achieve our target of engaging 90,000 school children.

“In the future, we will be creating new admissions, retail, catering and play facilities to provide the best visitor experience possible. To promote sustainable travel, we will be investing £2m in public highway improvements.

“This will include new on-site bus and coach pick up/drop off points, two new bus stops outside of the site, improved access for cyclists and pedestrians, and electric vehicle charging points in our car park. We will also be creating a new footpath on Blackhorse Hill, improving access to Easter Compton.”

The plans are part of ambitions to increase the number of endangered and critically endangered species that will live in the conservation zoo. Currently 78 percent of animals at the zoo are endangered, but the aim is to raise the percentage to 90 by 2035.

Justin Morris said: “The zoo will become home to some of the world’s most threatened species. Currently, 78 percent of the animals we care for are both threatened, and part of targeted conservation programmes and our aim is for this to rise to 90% of species by 2035.

“Bristol Zoological Society works in nine countries, across four continents, working to conserve and protect species that are in most need of help. We’re currently involved in 40 co-ordinated breeding programmes and directing 14 field conservation projects with 31 local partner organisations.

“Bristol Zoo Project protects threatened habitats on our doorstep, such as British woodland, and around the globe, including in Madagascar, Philippines and Equatorial Guinea. This new conservation zoo at Bristol Zoo Project, will support significant growth in our conservation and education work and offer an innovative and exciting visitor experience. This will ensure future generations of children can come face-to-face with animals in nature and the Society can continue its critical conservation and education work.”

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