BRISTOL Zoo is to move from its iconic Clifton site after years of dwindling visitor numbers and a lack of space.

Bristol Zoological Society has unveiled plans to relocate Bristol Zoo to its Wild Place Project site to "create a world-class zoo and to safeguard the future".

The new Bristol Zoo will offer spacious, modern facilities, significant growth in conservation and education work and a ground-breaking, innovative visitor experience.

In order to deliver this new vision and to secure the future of Bristol Zoo, the Clifton site will be sold.

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The announcement follows years of declining visitor numbers to Bristol Zoo Gardens and the organisation having made an operating loss in four of the last six years.

The plans have been announced after the second lockdown forced Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place Project to close, after months of closure during the peak spring and summer months.

Dr Justin Morris, Chief Executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: “This year has been by far the most challenging year the Society has faced in its 185-year history.

“For many years Bristol Zoo Gardens has been struggling with fundamental and persistent challenges. Namely an inability to meet the changing needs of the animals within the available space and infrastructure, and declining visitor numbers.

“These challenges have had an enormous impact on our finances and the impact of Covid-19 has caused us to radically rethink our plans about the future.

“We know that Bristol Zoo Gardens has a special place in the hearts of many, and lots of people have fond memories of visiting the zoo.

“This new strategy presents an opportunity to create a world-class zoo that sets the standard for a modern, forward-looking zoo in the 21st century.”

Bristol Zoological Society will include an ‘urban conservation hub’ in the zoo’s iconic main entrance building to ensure the heritage and story of the Clifton site will continue to be told.

New housing will be created in areas of the site where there are already built structures, and the existing gardens will be largely unchanged.

Bristol Zoo Gardens will remain open until late 2022 and visitors will not see an immediate change while plans are developed further. Wild Place Project will remain open throughout this time, until it becomes the new Bristol Zoo from early 2024.