In February of 1984 I visited a total of seventeen different zoos in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The first zoo I visited was Bristol Zoo. I took lots of photos but photography was difficult inside buildings, I made notes instead. Almost a year later I intended to give a slide presentation to zookeepers and wrote a commentary. On the off-chance that someone may be remotely interested, I thought I might as well post the notes and commentary here for posterity's sake. I have transcribed them verbatim, including the scientific names (so don't complain that they are old or out-of-date!). However, I have added links to photos I have already posted in the gallery (there was more, but they vanished in the great purge of 2010). I had drawn a very rough diagram of the layout of the Reptile House - I have added this as an attachment and can be seen at the bottom of the post. Please note that the opinions are all mine and often reflect the views of the day. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will endeavour to answer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BRISTOL ZOO Bristol Zoo harboured a few disappointments for me. Firstly, they had no guide book to tell me about their zoo and secondly (and at the time, more importantly), they had no map of the zoo. Not that I was going to get lost in a zoo of that size, but books and maps are helpful reminders of the layout of a zoo, the exhibits, and the animals. A third disappointment was that it rained off and on for most of the day and by one o’clock it was getting pretty overcast, cutting down light and making photography difficult. Bristol Zoo is an average size zoo, not being very large at all. Even so, they have some large enclosures and they are not all cramped up side-by-side. There are lots of open spaces with lawns all over the zoo. Labels in the zoo are colourful, not being photographs but printed pictures in colour. The illustrations are good reproductions, obviously made by an expert. Some labels don’t have any illustrations. Information is just English & Latin names and distribution. Reptiles Overall I found the Reptile House pretty good from a member of the public’s view. There were lots of lush plants everywhere in the building making a nice change to the bare trees in much of the English countryside. The exhibits too, were of an adequate size (except perhaps for the Jamaican Boas that were in a smallish tank) although why a pair of West African Dwarf Crocodiles had a waterfall that was 15 to 20 feet high is beyond me. It may look alright as far as the public are concerned but it really does nothing for the crocodiles that an eight foot waterfall couldn’t. A smaller one would have probably been less expensive. As far as the species go, there were a few rare-ish ones: Rhinoceros Iguanas, Royal and Indian Pythons, Jamaican and Cuban Boas. There was also a Burmese Python/Black Python hybrid; whether it was an accident or deliberate crossing I don’t know. As for the Black Iguana, I saw none in any other zoo and I can’t find it in any of my books or manuals at home. Cages have glass fronts and the walls of the herpetarium are also the backs of the cages. The side walls are brick, sometimes with glass. The crocodile and turtle enclosures are open-topped because the whole building is heated. Size of enclosures is quite sufficient in all cases except perhaps the Jamaican Boas. Fluorescent lights in all enclosures (except the crocs) & ventilation is from wire mesh approx three inches square on the back wall. Sliding glass doors on front of cages. High temperature and humidity. Plants everywhere. Water Python Liasis macklotti Common Tegu Tupinambis teguixin Red Tegu Tupinambis rufescens Green Iguana Iguana iguana Black Iguana Rhinoceros Iguana Cyclura cornuta Royal Python Python regius Reticulated Python Python reticulatus Shingleback Skink Trachydosaurus rugosus Jamaican Boas Epicrates subflavus Cuban Boa Epicrates angulifer Indian Python Python molurus molurus Burmese Python Python molurus bivittatus Burmese X Black Python Python molurus bivittatus X Python sebae Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus West African Dwarf Crocodile Osteolaemis tetraspis Birds Bristol’s Penguin exhibit has three species of penguin, all in the one enclosure; Kings, Rockhoppers and Black-footeds. The exhibit was very realistic and natural with a rock cliff as the walls (not really a cliff but high enough for the penguins to consider it as one), and little beach pebbles on the ground. There were also several rocks on the ground for standing on. As I recall, the pool ran the length of the exhibit at the front, between the public and the penguins. Not far from the penguins were the vulture cages. There were three or four different species but the only ones I remember for sure are the Turkey and Egyptian Vultures. I remember them because I have some amateurish slides of them. The house itself was circular one with the nighthouse at the centre and the actual cages radiating out from there with the different species occupying one or more of the cages. The birds had room for flight but it could have been bigger. The cages were not overcrowded and some of the walls between cages had been taken out so the occupants had even more room. Other zoos I have seen since then would have probably put more birds of the same species or different species in. Two large enclosures with no roofs and a moat system housed two bird species each. The public looked over a three or four foot wall, on the other side the ground sloped down so that the base of the wall was about eight feet high. The ground in the centre of the enclosure was a grassy hill so that the animals could look at you eye-to-eye and you could see the animals even if you were a hundred feet away. The birds in the first enclosure I came to were White Storks and Demoiselle Cranes. In the second exhibit were Brown Pelicans and Marabou Storks. Presumably the bird’s wings were pinioned. They were not afraid of the public, coming right up to the wall in the case of the Marabou. Other birds in Bristol include Golden-naped Macaws, Rothschild’s Mynahs, and the omnipresent Flamingos. There is also a birdhouse with a large room planted out with many free-flying birds, finches etc. Unfortunately, I didn’t make any notes there so can’t state specifically what was there, but it was like those in other zoos so presumably has some Tanagers, Silver-eyes, Turacos, Hummingbirds etc and Wood Pigeon and other ground-dwelling birds on the ground. Mammals Mammals at Bristol appear to make up the majority of the collection. I was surprised to find Okapi there as I didn’t know they had them. There was only a male there at the time and a note on the cage explaining why he didn’t have a female. The cage wasn’t much, being just a rectangular wire fence with a shed down at one end. Couldn’t see in the shed but otherwise the whole exhibit was OK. After all, it’s hard to make a rainforest exhibit for such a large animal. The Camel House was very old. The exhibit comprised of a concrete base with some weeds growing in the cracks. The actual shelter was what looked like an old garage or storage shed, with two roller-doors. The cage also had three dead trees in it. http://www.zoochat.com/55/camel-enclosure-1984-a-47865/ http://www.zoochat.com/55/camel-garage-1984-a-47864/ The Coati exhibit was another old one. It is another moat-like enclosure with the centre of it rising up so you can see the animals clearly. The material used throughout this cage was concrete with a dead tree in the centre so the animals can climb. I saw two Coatis, possibly three. I could not be sure because the concrete hill had tunnels in it for them to shelter and nest. The exhibit is quite good even though the concrete hill is painted red and doesn’t look very natural at all. Like other zoos, Bristol’s Polar Bears were in a pit-type enclosure made entirely out of concrete with the pool at the front of the pit. The walls were painted light blue and were topped by barbed wire to stop the public sitting on them. The Big Cat cages were also old, comprised of a dome-shaped outer cage and an inner night-house made out of stone blocks as walls in exhibits that I like; perhaps they’re more natural looking than bricks etc. These cages contained African Lions, Persian Leopards and the famous White Tigers. There may have been jaguars and other big cats but I can’t remember because I spent all my time looking at and photographing the White Tiger. The insides of the exhibits had a dead tree or two and some smallish green plants, the ground was covered with small pebbles. The lions were mating while I was there but, typically, as soon as they saw the camera, they changed their minds. http://www.zoochat.com/55/lion-cage-1984-a-47867/ http://www.zoochat.com/55/white-tiger-1984-a-47869/ The rare Geoffrey’s Tamarin had bred recently and although I couldn’t see the babies, I was happy enough to see the adults. I didn’t see Geoffrey’s Tamarins in any other zoos I visited so I am pleased I saw them in Bristol. The cage was glass-fronted and had some trees in it so it was certainly adequate. I didn’t pay too much attention to it because the larger Monkey House and Ape House were nearby. The insides of both houses reminded me of a hospital because they were all tiled and looked ultra-hygienic. The animals had access to their outside exhibits but nowhere else to go. If they want to get some privacy, they can’t. Although the Ape House didn’t have tiles, I wasn’t too impressed by it either. In the Ape House, the chimps and the orangs share the same outdoor enclosure. The Apes outdoor cage had a wire front, roof, and sides while the back was concrete. In the cage was a large concrete/rock structure for them and some dead trees. The outside monkey cages were made entirely out of wire with wooden poles for climbing. The bottom of the cage was also wire, being situated on grass so the grass could grow into the cage. These cages were very large so the occupants could fly through the air if they so desired. The signs there were on a slab of wood with only the common name, actually carved or engraved into the wood. http://www.zoochat.com/55/sign-1984-a-47866/ Monkey House (inside) Enclosures all look awful because they are tiled. Size varies but they are quite large. Lots of branches but the animals have no privacy from the public. Rose branches tied onto the fixed branches. ***************************** Purple-faced Langur (Presbytis senex) x 3 Animals look a little weird – perhaps this is normal? ***************************** De Brazza Guenon (Cercopothecus neglectus) x 3 A pair plus a baby. Female could be pregnant again. ***************************** Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas) x 4 All appear to be female. One has a bandage on its tail. ***************************** Colobus (Colobus guereza) x 2 ***************************** Diana Guenon (Cercopithecus diana) x 3 A pair with a baby. ***************************** Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca silennus) x 5 or 6 Several adults and sub-adults plus one baby. ***************************** Ape House Enclosures definitely large enough. Concrete floors with stone and brick walls. Moulded concrete branches. Big plastic 44 gallon bins. Chimps and Orangs share the same outdoor area but not at the same time. ***************************** Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) x 3 Just large enough; one more and it could become overcrowded. ***************************** Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus abelli) x 5 4 adults and one baby. All seem small. None appear to be larger than 4 ½ feet at the most. ***************************** Gorilla (Gorilla g. gorilla) x ? At least six, possibly nine. One baby and one female known to be pregnant. Three cages. ***************************** Nocturnarium Sides and backs of the exhibits were normally painted fibreglass or Perspex. In the armadillo/galago exhibit parts of it were translucent. The light showing through simulated conditions of a full moon. ***************************** Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) x 3 Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) x 1 Cage quite large enough. Lots of dead logs and trees etc. Nothing Green. Glider looks a little emaciated. ***************************** Slow Loris (Loris tardigradus) x 2 Excellent. Big enough with plenty of branches, logs, and leaves on the ground. Lorises both active. ***************************** Hairy Armadillo (Euphractes sp.) x 1 Senegal Galago (Galago senegalensis) x 4 Excellent. Big enough with lots of soil & logs for the armadillo. Plenty of branches and a cliff wall full of holes for the galagos. ***************************** Pichi (Zaedys pichiy) x 1 Lesser Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus) x 1 Excellent. Lots of logs, branches, leaves and soil. ***************************** Douroucouli (Aotus trivirgatus) x 3 Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) x 3 Large exhibit. Branches, logs, rocks and soil. ***************************** Pacarana (Dinomys branicki) x 1 Thick-tailed Galago (Galago crassicaudata) x 4 Very large. Concrete rocks, many trees. Some soil. Both species eat from the same bowl. Pacarana has lost some fur on the forehead and lower back. Tail hairless and is probably blind in the left eye (it was white and the animal did not react to anything it could not see with its right eye). ***************************** Fennec (Fennecus zerda) x 3 Large exhibit. Rocky walls and a dead tree. Soil, rocks and pebbles. ***************************** Springhares (Pedestes capensis) x 2 Senegal Galagos (Galago senegalensis) x 6 Lots of soil, rocks and branches. Possibly this exhibit backs onto the armadillo/Galago exhibit and the galagos can travel between the back walls from one exhibit to another. ***************************** African Flying Fox (???) - many (Pteropus vampyra) – many Very big. Stone walls with carunculations to simulate a cave. Has soil and logs. Some wire strips on the roof for the bats top cling to. Also a couple of branches. Stalagmites and stalactites. (The African Flying Fox might possibly be the Egyptian Rousette (Rousettus aegypticus)). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Because Bristol did not have a guide book or map, the only things I can remember in any detail are those that I photographed. I can vaguely remember several species of lemur in glass-fronted cages arranged almost in a sort of mini-maze; there was a Hippo House that can just remember being hot and humid; a large, pebbly exhibit besides the penguins with rhea and llama; and a tapir exhibit that had green grass all over the ground and a tapir that only came out for a minute to eat a bit of it and then go back inside. Hix
hey Hix, some of your scientific names are old or out-of-date.... the black iguana may well have been Ctenosaura similis
Many thanks for the report It was of great interest to me as I like looking at what zoo's used to keep and how and where
Also thanks from myself Hixy, Bristol zoo used to have a number of UK firsts, off the bat Okapi's and white tigers if I am correct
Bristol Zoo -- Impressions from 1984 Zoo history is always interesting; does anyone remember the mixed bear exhibits at Bristol in the 70s?
Perhaps read the gentlemans post? Bristol was my local zoo as a child. While I'll admit I was only 5 when you visited I have no memory of there ever being nine Gorillas! The Geoffroy's Tamarins lasted into the mid 90's and as far as I know can now only be found in a few US zoos (outside of their range). It's a shame because I always liked them.
I think they had ten in the house at one stage; Samson Delilah Susie Lomie or Gogal( both on loan) Daniel(born there) Diana Naomi(born there) Reuben(born there) Goliath (born there) Leah.(born there) Bristol also had a couple of other 'firsts'- first UK Chimpanzee & Gorilla births. ('Delilah', the 2nd gorilla female to breed in UK, and the first to successfully rear the baby, is still alive at Belfast Zoo)
The long middle enclosure between the Polar and Brown bears was the only mixed one I remember- I think it had Sloth, Himalayan and Sun Bears together.
Bristol Zoo -- Impressions from 1984 I remember that lot, but have a vague recollection of another, circular [pit?] on the other side of the zoo, perhaps with a similar mixture, may have been demolished to make way for the aquarium?
They were the cages alongside the Aquarium(south side), which connected with the central circular pit around which the Aquarium was constructed. Pretty sure the bears were transferred from here to the more modern pits, though I think maybe only Sloth and/or Himalayan. So not kept in both places at the same time. If I remember rightly the brown bears(pair)were brought in when the newer exhibit opened.
The old bear pit was originally a brick kiln I think. It wasn't constucted specially as bear enclosure and the structure still exists today as the aquarium was built inside it. It was not demolished. When you enter the building now, you get a very glood idea of how the pit looked. The pole that the bears used to climb has been erected just outside the entrance to the aquarium. An interesting historic curio. A Polar Bear was kept in the pit temporarily (possibly alongside other species) towards the end of its occupancy and it used to climb the pole too.
I knew it was still there (in some form) as its part of the aquarium building- but not what its original use was. I remember the cages that connected to it, there were three or four in a terrace on the south side of the aquarium. one had about 5 wolves, the others, the bears. Their indoor dens seemed to be underneath/in the wall of the circular 'kiln'(?) as you could see into them, and I think there were doors leading from the dens both into the cages and also into the central pit.
