More than 29,000 people said goodbye to Bristol Zoo Gardens in the final week before its closure – the same number of visitors the attraction would see in a month. It was an emotional farewell from visitors and staff who waved goodbye to the iconic visitor attraction in Clifton, which closed its gates for the last time on Saturday (September 3) after 186 years.
Bristol Zoo Gardens was the fifth oldest zoo in the world and the oldest outside of any capital city. It has welcomed more than 90 million visitors since it first opened on July 11, 1836. A plaque was hung outside its main entrance, which read ‘ thank you for the memories’.
The zoo confirmed it was closing the famous site on College Road in February to merge with the Wild Place Project and expand the site out in Easter Compton, promising an inspiring wildlife experience with conservation and education at its core. Eighty per cent of the species will be linked to conservation programmes around the world – a higher percentage than any other zoo in the UK.
