Bristol Zoo - Review

Posted on: 2016-11-02

Our rating:

The creatures on show range from the large asiatic lions, gorillas and pygmy hippos to the smaller inhabitants of the zoo like the armadillos and bats. This place also has many indoor exhibits, such as the insect/reptile house and aquarium.


I have always found Bristol Zoo to be like a little tranquil hidden gem in our otherwise constantly busy city. Even when it's packed, which it certainly was when I went there with my family recently, it's still a place where you can get away from the madness for a while.

 

Animals can do that for you. They entice you to watch them with their obvious beauty on show and then keep you engaged with their usual antics.

Bristol Zoo - Baby Gorilla

The thing that is nice and impressive about Bristol Zoo though, which was actually first opened in 1836, is that it's committed to its mission to breed endangered species and conserve threatened ones. As you walk around the park, there is information at hand everywhere about what work the zoo is doing for these animals.

 

It also supports wildlife conservation, education and breeding programmes worldwide. It's impressive that Bristol Zoo works with other ones around the world to breed lemurs in captivity, and the enclosed walk through area where you can get really near to these primates is a real treat. Just watch out for them being above your head at any point as they are animals after all!

Bristol Zoo - Sloths

Bristol Zoo is an educational project that our children can appreciate up close and you can hear the cogs going around in their brains as they take in the offered pieces of information about all of the species.

 

The creatures on show range from the large Asiatic lions, gorillas and pygmy hippos to the smaller inhabitants of the zoo like the armadillos and bats.

 

This place has many indoor exhibits, such as the insect/reptile house and aquarium, and it's easy to get lost as you work your way around the whole zoo.

Bristol Zoo - Meerkats

However, a real highlight for me and my family was the seal and penguin enclosure which contains two pools of 145,000 imperial gallons of salt water. The South American fur seals and African penguins can be viewed in here both above and below the water and what a show they put on. The seals were play fighting with each other the whole time we were there (I am pretty sure that is what they were doing!) and were constantly jumping off the rocks into the water. 

 

To hear the laughter of children around the enclosure and in all other parts of this place was a real delight and makes you realise it's the simple things in life that can make a day a really good one.

 

For further information please visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk.

Bristol Zoo - Lions



Article by:

Kelly Jobanputra

Kelly worked as a journalist for the BBC for 12 years before she changed careers and went into the field of marketing. Having worked at BBC 6 Music for several years, she is passionate about many different genres of sound. Her other interests include theatre, comedy, books, food and days out with the family (she has a young daughter who she describes as a "whirlwind of fun.") Kelly is married to Vik who is a true Bristolian to the core! She is also studying nutritional therapy.