[News] Bristol Zoo closes tomorrow after 186 years

[Lenny Rider]

A sign of the times?

Like Circuses will they in time become a thing of the past, or do they still have a place in the modern world ?


As a parent, and now soon to be a Grandparent, I’ve enjoyed visiting zoos both in the UK and abroad, and I’m sure I’m not the only one on NSC.

 

[Seagull27]

It's not really closing, just moving to a bigger site

 

[Husty]

It's not really closing, just moving to a bigger site

Lets not that get in the way of a good culture war thread though eh?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Where Mr Morris had so much fun.

What IS this instrument?

 

[Beach Hut]

So the Zoo isn't closing yet there is another snippet of info from the OP so what is this thread really about ?

 

[Swansman]

Circuses have no real purpose other than to sell entertainment, often through cruel treatment of the animals - no one should think much about it being part of the past.

Zoos are different, they are very important these days when it comes to the conservation of threatened species etc. so if people stop going to the zoo they will probably recieve funding from elsewhere in the future.

 

[Seagull27]

For anyone who is interested, these are the future plans:
https://future.bristolzoo.org.uk/strategy-to-2035/new-bristol-zoo/

Definitely the right move, I've been to the (old) Bristol zoo a fair few times and while it had a certain charm to it, it was quite dated and some of the enclosures were uncomfortably small.

The new developments at Wild Place Project are definitely more appropriate, there's so much more space for the animals, built to represent their natural habitats (apart from climate obviously) and a real focus on conservation.

 

[Brovion]

It's not closing, it's actually moving to a larger site, so it's expanding.

We went there in April. The only 'old school' zoo animals there were a few lions. Giraffes, hippos, bears, elephants, tigers, camels, leopards, cheetahs, etc - all long gone. It is mainly about conservation now rather than simply imprisoning captured exotic animals for people to gawk at.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Regularly took our kids to Drusillas when they were little and my Dad lives near a fantastic Zoo in France which we visit every time we see him. Both are still popular and there's no existential thread to either AFAIK. There's a Circus on Hove seafront near the King Alfred right now - they just don't have animals except for some trained budgies.

All in all I don't understand the thread at all.

 

[Hamilton]

A sign of the times?

Like Circuses will they in time become a thing of the past, or do they still have a place in the modern world ?


As a parent, and now soon to be a Grandparent, I’ve enjoyed visiting zoos both in the UK and abroad, and I’m sure I’m not the only one on NSC.

As others have said, it's moving to a new amazing site.

I visited it early this year. It's spacious and wonderful to explore. The bears are an absolute must to see, and in so much space.

Is it cruel keeping animals in captivity? Probably, yes. But, if it helps people connect with the wonders of nature and then want to do something to protect that, then no.

 

[Hamilton]

So the Zoo isn't closing yet there is another snippet of info from the OP so what is this thread really about ?

It's about Lenny Rider being NSC's Robert Kilroy Silk.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Regularly took our kids to Drusillas when they were little and my Dad lives near a fantastic Zoo in France which we visit every time we see him. Both are still popular and there's no existential thread to either AFAIK. There's a Circus on Hove seafront near the King Alfred right now - they just don't have animals except for some trained budgies.

All in all I don't understand the thread at all.

We visited the zoo at Sables d'Lonne which is very well kept, and also a wild life park called Planet Sauvage. It was raining the day we went so the animals were fairly active instead of sleeping in the sun.
Many of these places have good breeding programmes to keep rare and endangered breeds going, and some have even been rewilded.

 

[Swansman]

As others have said, it's moving to a new amazing site.

I visited it early this year. It's spacious and wonderful to explore. The bears are an absolute must to see, and in so much space.

Is it cruel keeping animals in captivity? Probably, yes. But, if it helps people connect with the wonders of nature and then want to do something to protect that, then no.

Agree strongly with this... I read some article not many years ago where it was claimed that more percent of Europeans than Africans had actually seen elephants in real life and that this may be why Europeans in general are more interested in conservation than those actually living where all the (often illegal) hunting happens.

 

[Lenny Rider]

So the Zoo isn't closing yet there is another snippet of info from the OP so what is this thread really about ?

Sorry Beachie not concentrating, a constant in my school reports of the 1970's, apologies, I saw on GMB that it was closing after 186 years on the tickertape

 

[Lenny Rider]

It's about Lenny Rider being NSC's Robert Kilroy Silk.

I'm been called far worse, can't wait for the flack if I make it to the final cut of "Stand or Fall"

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Sorry Beachie not concentrating, a constant in my school reports of the 1970's, apologies, I saw on GMB that it was closing after 186 years on the tickertape

Funnily enough, the content of this thread makes me want to take my grandson to Bristol to visit the new zoo.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Silly OP. Of course there’s a place for zoos. Conservation and all that stuff. Forty years ago my parents in law were in Jersey so we went to Gerald Durrell’s zoo, which was all about conservation. Our local zoo - Marwell - is all about conservation and has been open 50 years. It’s great.
Our 9 year old granddaughter - 10 this month, she’s so excited - is a regular eco-warrior already. She loves Marwell and we go every time she visits. She has already decided which Uni she wants to go for and which course - Cardiff for Zoology. Marwell has helped inspire her. She is her School’s eco-champion and has met with her assembly member at the Welsh Senedd about environmental matters.
These things matter.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Who's watching who

 

[hart's shirt]

Last month I applied for a job in an Australian zoo, but sadly I didn't get invited for an interview.

Apparently I don't have the right koalafications.

 

[A1X]

So in actual fact the Zoo is too popular?