Home of TV favourite Animal Magic is closing after 186 years
Animal Magic ran from 1962 to 1983 at Bristol Zoo
Last updated 2nd Sep 2022
The home of TV favourite Animal Magic is closing this weekend.
Bristol Zoo, the 5th oldest zoo in the world has been open since 1836 and will be closing on Saturday 3rd September.
The zoo was the home of the popular tv show, Animal Magic, which ran from 1962 to 1983.
Presenter Johnny Morris played a zoo keeper in the show, he would talk to the animals and give their responses in mimicked voiceovers.
Bristol zoo closes
The zoo has welcomed 90 million people and saved 175 species from extinction
The 12-acre attraction has earned international acclaim for its conservation breeding programmes.
The zoo's Head of Public Engagement, Simon Garrett told us "I think a lot of people don't have any inkling how old the zoo is,"
"I don't know whether people actually think of this as a historic zoo, but it absolutely is, from start to finish."
"We're the fifth oldest zoo in the world, we're the oldest that's still surviving that's outside a capital city...and I don't think people really have an idea of actually how old that is."
Bristol Zoo Gardens has been home to many pioneering projects and has many animals that have never seen before in the UK including Alfred the gorilla, who lived there from 1930 to 1948.
Roger, a rare black rhino, was the first of his kind born in the UK in 1958.
The zoo's Head of Public Engagement, Simon Garrett also told us "The zoo absolutely did its part during both the First and Second World Wars," Simon said.
"It was opened, and I think for free for wounded soldiers, coming in if they were wounded out of the war...and there was entertainment here.
Many of the animals will be relocated to other sites
After the site closes to the public on Saturday, the animals will slowly be moved on to new locations
Many of its animals will be relocated to its sister site Wild Place which is set to rebrand as the new Bristol Zoo in 2024. They aim to continue conservation work there.
The Bristol Zoological Society which owns the site wants to sell it for housing and a planning application for work is set to be considered by Bristol City Council in the next few months.
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