Wild Place Project

Wild Place Project
Date opened 22 July 2013
Coordinates 51.5314,-2.6081
Land area 136 Acres
Owner Bristol Zoological Society
Website www.wildplace.org.uk

Wild Place Project is a wild life conservation park in South Glouscester, United Kingdom. It is run by the Bristol Zoological Society and is Wild Place Project is the sister site of Bristol Zoo.

It is located on the northern outskirts of Bristol, close to Junction 17 of the M5, opposite Cribbs Causeway.

History

Wild Place Project is located on Hollywood Estate, a grade II listed estate. The estate was gifted to Bristol Zoological Society in the mid 1960's by the White family. From the 1960's to 2013 the site was used as an off show area for breeding and quarantine. The site also housed the societies nurseries and to this day grows a third of the food for the animals at both Bristol Zoo and Wild Place Project.

In 2008 Bristol Zoological Society announced plans to submit plans to South Gloucestershire Council for the development of a new 55-hectare park.

The park officially opened on 22 July 2013.[1] The original submitted plans suggested a development cost of circa £70 million.[2]


The Park has been designed to link specific ecosystems and conservation programmes across the world,[3] and was originally intended to be split into biomes, representing species found only in specific habitats.[4] Current areas include: Secret Congo, Bristish Ancient woodland, Edge of Africa and Madagascar.

The species list currently includes: Okapi, Sudan cheetah, Zebra, European Grey Wolf and Gelada Baboon.

Future Plans

Some of the biomes originally planned are: Congo Basin Tropical Forest, Central American Swamp, African Savannah, Sumatra Tropical Forest, Nepal Riverine Forest, Coral Reef and British Wetlands.[5]

The species list for each ecosystem has not yet been finalised, but is likely to include manatees, crocodiles, bonobos, bongo, Sumatran tiger, orangutan, giraffe, zebra, warthog, lion, kudu, African hunting dog, rhinoceros and brown bear.

Development of the Park has been supported by the South West of England Regional Development Agency through a grant of £1.5million.[6]

References

  1. http://www.wildplace.org.uk/new-bristol-attraction-opens-22-july
  2. "Zoo submits £70m park proposals". BBC News. BBC. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  3. "Wild Place Project helps conserve endangered animals". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  4. "Bristol Park gets jungle". Times Online. 27 July 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  5. "Bristol Zoo Unveils Plans For National Wildlife Conservation Park". Zoo and Aquarium Visitor. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  6. "A new zoo for the UK". South West of England Regional Development Agency. Retrieved 4 August 2008.

External links


Coordinates: 51°31′47″N 2°36′58″W / 51.52959°N 2.61601°W / 51.52959; -2.61601

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