Good bye Bristol Zoo after 186 years

in Pinmapple2 years ago

The Bristol Zoo in UK opened in 1836, 186 years ago, and is the world's fifth oldest zoo - until it closed this weekend just gone. Falling visitors combined with the pandemic meant it was difficult to sustain the zoo's future here.
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REMINISCING THE OLD TIMES

Zoos are a controversial place nowadays, but they were a very different place a couple centuries ago. Back in the old days the zoo was more for recreation purposes. Zoo keepers would take their animals such as camels, elephants and giraffes out for walks in Clifton village, getting up close and personal with the locals. There are many who have fond memories of elephant rides when they were a child. During my visit a few days before they were due to close, Bristol Zoo displayed old photos from their archive and locals left messages of the happy days they spent at the zoo experience.
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BYGONE BUILDINGS

I very rarely visit zoos in fact I don't think I've been to one since I've grown up. I'm just not a big animal lover. When I heard that Bristol Zoo was closing down, and knowing its significance to the local community, I felt the now or never moment had arrived. Not to see the animals, but to see and experience a part of history that will be gone forever.

Many of the animal enclosures dates back to the Victorian days, and there were many other buildings in the zoo that have been around for a long time. They document history, evolution, nature, art, stories and more importantly time.
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This art deco building is my favourite. I love the brick like white tile wrapped all around the curve exterior of the restaurant, extending to the other side of the building where a tower clock stands above in contrast to the curve wall. The upstairs has a wide length of panel windows, each panel consisting of geometric smaller window. This is now the Bug House and the inside showcases more geometry, a main feature of art deco style. More use of lines that forms a contrast of curves and parallel shapes.
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The Monkey House is probably the one structure that shouts evolution more than anything else. When I first set eyes on it, I couldn't work out what it was. A temple like building, with no doors or windows was too small to house any mammal. I walked around it a couple of times admiring the intricating carvings on the outside wondering what it was for. Luckily I saw the information board by one of the entrances, fascinating story to learn how much things had changed over a century.
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The Aquarium is another remarkable structure. Visitors enter from one side below the stairs into a big space lined with many fish tanks and an underwater tunnel. You can't tell how big it is just by the exterior.
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The Promenade is the main walkway in between the entrance leading straight ahead to the Aquarium. There were many displays of yesteryears here, the decorative flower pots and concert ornaments that probably have been here longer than anyone can remember.
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THE OCCUPANTS

Bristol Zoo prides itself with many first, and one of them is Daniel, the first gorilla born and reared in the UK in 1971. The main lawn area has a massive gorilla cradelling its baby. Music plays at random times and the gorilla strokes the baby, who then rocks it little head side by side.
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And here's the real resident, a family of eight western lowland gorilla. The head of the family Jock occupying the best seat in the house, juse like a dad who always get the best seat on the sofa in front of the TV at home!!
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Even thought I'm not an animal fan, a visit to a zoo wouldn't be complete without a few animal photos. Flamingos, tortoise, lemur....

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And the king of them all. Say hello, or goodby to Sahee, an Asiatic lion which is an endangered species as there are only about 600 left in the world.
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WHAT NEXT?

Bristol Zoo is a city zoo, located in one of the most expensive and prime area called Clifton in Bristol. Closing the zoo and selling the site for redevelopment will fund a new and bigger zoo on the outskirts of the city. That will allow it to focus on conservation work and build a zoo that is fit for the 21st century - should you agree that zoos should exist at all.

What are your thoughts on zoos?





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wow, this is absolutely a beautiful place, the creatures there too.
will the lion and other animals be trasfered after the closure?

A lot of the animals will be transferred to other zoos as the new one won't open for another couple of years yet. I heard the zoo had a massive spreadsheet to coordinate the movement

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Great to hear that they will build another zoo. It would be cool if they could relocate some of the buildings, history too.

That would be really nice to relocate the buildings, but I guess they will be knocked down. No prizes for guessing what the site will be redeveloped into!!

I hardly visit zoo just yet, but planning to visit one oneday.

Too bad they are closing down, as they have a lot of memories, but nice if they are opening another one in the outskirt. I was wondering where will they bring all the animal there.

The fact that they brought the animal for a village walk in old times is fascinating. That would br impossible now

Too much health and safety issues nowadays to take animals to the public, but a very different world back then. I read at the zoo display, the animal keepers printed postcards of themselves and their animal and sold them to the public to earn some extra cash

That is a clever way to earn extra cash. I believe they have a very nice postcard with the animal roaming around the city. It will look so cool by now, isn't it? sending some !PIZZA to you

Never been visited a zoo and see that animals in person 😁
Hopefully one of this days with my kids I can visit a zoo 😁

I think children will love them especially if they can pat and touch the animals. Hopefully you can go with your kids soon

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It is unfortunate that this zoo is closing, which has so much history and memories. But the choice to rebuild this zoo in my opinion is also good.

City zoos are very expensive to upkeep so I guess it makes sense to relocate to a much bigger place on the outskirts of the city

Yes I also agree with you.

I have visited many zoos in my life, but this one looks very distinctive in its architecture!!! beautiful photos!!

Thanks. I was much more interested to see the buildings to be honest, and I think many others there were as well

This looks like it was a really awesome place. It is sad when cool places like this end up shutting down. I guess you have to think it is better that they shut down if they can't support the animals than to stay open and give the animals a lesser quality of life. That is my thinking anyway.

I grew up going to the Milwaukee County Zoo. I loved it, especially the penguin exhibit.

When my husband and I moved to Columbus, OH, we got a zoo membership there and enjoyed going. That was when Jack Hanna was there.

After moving to the Dallas area, and having children, we would sometimes visit the Dallas Zoo and sometimes the Fort Worth Zoo. We did have a zoo membership at the Dallas Zoo for some time. We didn't go as often as the children would have liked. Our oldest, especially, LOVES animals.

What do I think of zoos? Well, I think they are great, as long as they are good to the animals.

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