The Duke of Edinburgh went behind the scenes at a zoo to prepare food for a troop of gorillas.
Prince Edward paid tribute to the efforts of staff at Bristol Zoo Project, ahead of the public opening of the site’s new African forest habitat next month.
His visit formed part of a programme of events designed to reintroduce the zoo’s troop of western lowland gorillas to visitors ahead of the Easter holidays.
The troop remained at Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton after the site’s closure in 2022, being cared for by keepers until their new habitat at Bristol Zoo Project was complete.
Small groups of guests are being gradually welcomed to the area, starting with just 10 visitors at a time, increasing to 2,000 members over the course of a month.
Edward, who has been patron of Bristol Zoological Society since 2013, visited the zoo on Tuesday to meet volunteers, conservationists and keepers – as well as spotting animals including giraffes and crocodiles.
In a speech at the site, he described the habitats and ecosystems where animals live as “really important”.
“The animals that you see here that are endangered are endangered because their habitats are being threatened, not necessarily them particularly,” Edward said.
“So this was a wonderful way of being able to try and demonstrate that actually there’s an interconnection between animals and nature and different animals.
“I’m delighted that we’ve created this brilliant new facility for the gorillas and primates here, which hopefully will give them a very different experience and you’ll see them mixing with others.”
The new African forest area has some of the world’s most threatened species, including western lowland gorillas, cherry-crowned mangabeys, slender-snouted crocodiles and African grey parrots.
Justin Morris, chief executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: “Bristol Zoo Project is not a typical zoo.
“It is a conservation project with a powerful mission to protect threatened species and habitats.
“Rather than traditional enclosures, the site is being developed as an immersive conservation zoo, where visitors experience large, naturalistic habitats designed around the needs of wildlife.”
Mr Morris said the African forest area, opening on April 1, will allow visitors to witness interactions between species that share the same habitats in the wild.
