Description of the attraction
Bristol Zoo, opened in 1836, is the oldest non-capital zoo in the world. The zoo sees its main task in “breeding those species that are threatened with destruction; preservation of rare species; dissemination of knowledge about nature”.
Bristol Zoo is an old zoo dating back to the Victorian era. It occupies a small - by modern standards - area, which contains about 7000 animals of more than 400 species. Some buildings of the zoo are of architectural value and are under state protection, despite the fact that they are now unsuitable for keeping animals.
The zoo pays a lot of attention to the breeding of rare and endangered species. Here, for the first time in Britain, offspring were obtained from black rhinos (1958), for the first time in Europe in captivity, a baby chimpanzee was born (1938) and for the first time in the world - a baby squirrel monkey (saimiri) (1953).
It was in Bristol Zoo that the "Twilight Zone" appeared for the first time in the world. With the help of artificial lighting, day and night in the aviary have changed places and visitors can observe the life and activity of nocturnal animals. Now the "Twilight Zone" includes four sections: the desert, where you can see the sand cat, mongooses, rattlesnakes; rain forest where loris, sloth, ay-ay, possum and others live; a cave inhabited by blind fish, scorpions, etc.; and a house in which mice and rats are awake at night.
The pond is home to a variety of waterfowl, and the island in the middle of the pond is home to gorillas and small monkeys. The terrarium contains a variety of amphibians and reptiles. The zoo also boasts a huge collection of insects: beetles and butterflies. The aquarium contains exotic fish - inhabitants of the Amazon, coral reefs, etc.
Bristol Zoo collaborates with other zoos around the world, takes part in international programs for the conservation and reintroduction of rare animals, both in Britain and in other countries.
