Wild Place Project gets a new name

Wild Place Project, on the outskirts of Bristol, is becoming Bristol Zoo Project, to mark it's growth and welcome new critters from the previous site, celebrating the future of conservation.

To mark the renaming hundreds of people took part in an exclusive photo at the new site, shaping out the letters of the new name; Bristol Zoo Project.

Justin Morris, CEO of Bristol Zoological Society commented, “Wild animals are under threat of extinction, and we think zoos have an important role to play in addressing this ecological crisis, which is why we are investing in our 136-acre site. It won’t be quick. We are finalising the designs and construction is planned to start in 2024. Changing the name of our site marks the start of that journey.”

Following the closure of the site in Clifton, some of the animals and attractions are moving to the new site. Bristol Zoological Society has run a zoo in Clifton for almost 200 years. The new project aims to save wildlife together.

The new name was chosen by polling visitors, employees and volunteers. Construction on Bristol Zoo Project is set to start in 2024 and is almost 10 times larger than Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton. The site will include new visitor facilities, play areas and homes for new species including critically endangered animals like black rhinos, red necked ostriches, red pandas and mangabey monkeys.

There will also be a large conservation campus for students which will include conservation teaching, medicine and breeding facilities. This aims to encourage visitors to engage more with the conservation work of Bristol Zoological Society.

And don’t worry, some of our much-loved animal residents from Bristol Zoo Gardens, such as the Critically Endangered troop of Western lowland gorillas and blue-eyed black lemurs will also be coming over to the site in the next couple of years, when construction on their new homes is complete.