What is happening to the gorillas?

The gorilla family is undoubtedly the most iconic of all the animals currently at Bristol Zoo.  

From the outset, the Zoo have said the gorillas will move to the Wild Place. However, since September 2022, there have been several iterations of plans for the gorillas, none of which have been made public but which SBZG have learned of from multiple inside sources at Bristol Zoo. 

The Zoo need the money from the sale of their site to fund the building of the new gorilla’s home at the Wild Place; they cannot start building until they have these funds.  

The Zoo’s original intention was to keep the gorillas living in their existing home at Bristol Zoo, after the site was sold and whilst building work started, consigning the gorillas to live on a very noisy building site. SBZG understands that part of the ’strategy’ was to leverage the gorillas against the council’s planning committee by saying; “Look, the gorillas are stuck at Bristol Zoo and we can’t build their new home at the Wild Place until you grant us planning permission.”

This plan was then dropped because keeping the gorillas living on a building site for potentially several years was not considered viable. SBZG understands that an idea briefly suggested and explored was that the gorilla family could temporarily move to Twycross Zoo whilst their new enclosure was built at the Wild Place but this was dropped when it was pointed out to management that this disruption would be highly detrimental to the gorilla’s welfare and mental health, particularly Jock the elderly Silverback. This albeit brief proposition demonstrates a lack of basic knowledge of animal welfare from current decision makers at Bristol Zoo.

SBZG understands that at this point, the idea of not taking the gorillas to the Wild Place at all was explored and other European Zoos were sounded out about taking the gorilla family. 

This plan then changed AGAIN and reverted back to the gorillas staying at Bristol Zoo where they will have to live on a noisy building site for an extended period of time until their new home is built at the Wild Place which could take many years. 

What does all this mean? It means there are no good options for the famous gorilla family. The Zoo have found themselves in checkmate; a move they made on themselves. The lack of clarity and constant changing of plans is another graphic illustration of what a disastrous concept this whole episode has been from its inception and how the whole strategy to sell Bristol Zoo is flawed on so many levels and in so many ways.