Animal transport lorries were also spotted leaving the site
Zoo vans seen leaving Bristol Zoo under a police escort
Staff at Bristol Zoo have begun the gradual process of moving the gorillas at the zoo’s old site in Clifton to their new home on the edge of the city – with an armed police guard today as the move got underway.
Lorries and vans from JCS Livestock – the country’s leading transportation firm specialising in large wild animals – were seen leaving the Clifton Zoo site earlier this afternoon, Wednesday, February 11, with armed police escorting the vans.
Eight western lowland gorillas have been living at the old Bristol Zoo Gardens site in Clifton since the zoo closed the doors three and a half years ago, but a new purpose-built home awaits them at the Bristol Zoo Project at Easter Compton, near to junction 17 of the M5 at Cribbs Causeway.
The gorillas are the last remaining animals left at the Clifton Zoo Gardens site, and a spokesperson for the Bristol Zoological Society explained that the move would take place gradually over the course of several weeks.
“The planning for the move of the zoo’s troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas is extensive and being overseen by the expert team at Bristol Zoological Society to ensure the highest possible animal welfare,” a spokesperson for the Society said.
“Operational preparation for the move has been planned to take place over several weeks. The date of the move won’t be made public to ensure that it progresses without interruption, and the gorillas’ welfare is not impacted. As soon as the move is complete, we will share information with our supporters, volunteers, and members,” she added.
Gorillas and a zookeeper at Bristol Zoo’s Clifton site, issued August 2024(Image: Bristol Zoo Project)
Last month the zoo unveiled images of the new African Forest habitat at Bristol Zoo Project, including an indoor ‘gorilla gym’, with the expectation that the habitat will be opened to visitors to the Zoo Project attraction in the spring.
“Plans to create a new conservation zoo at Bristol Zoo Project continue to progress, as work is close to completing on the new African Forest habitat for some the world’s most endangered species,” she added.
“Completion of African Forest enables the much-anticipated arrival of the zoo’s existing troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas. They will be joined by Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys in a UK zoo first for the two species. African Forest will also be home to Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, Endangered African grey parrots and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish.
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“African Forest will open to the public in spring 2026 and the gorilla move has been carefully planned to enable a period for the animals to settle into their new habitat prior to the public opening,” she added.
Since the zoo closed its doors to visitors in September 2022, the gorillas have been looked after every day by keepers, but there have been occasional invasions by ‘urban explorers’.
After the most recent one in October last year, the Bristol Zoological Society said the repeated break-ins were causing distress to the gorillas still living there.
Zoo vans under a police escort are seen leaving Bristol Zoo this afternoon, Wednesday 11 February 2026(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
Late last month, a campaign to reopen the Clifton site as a zoo again was re-launched, with campaigners telling a packed public meeting that time was running out to prevent the final completion of the sale of the site to property developers.
The campaigners said Bristol Zoological Society would only be able to complete the full sale of the Clifton Zoo Gardens site to Acorn Property Group when the gorillas were finally moved, as the sale can only take place with vacant possession.
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The Zoological Society overcame a legal challenge last year against the plan to build 198 new homes on the site of the Clifton Zoo Gardens, with the money from the sale providing the funding for the expansion of the Bristol Zoo Project in South Gloucestershire.
Last month, Bristol Zoo Project said its new African Forest habitat was nearing completion, and unveiled the inside of the indoor ‘gym’ facility. “Bristol Zoo Project’s exciting new gorilla gym forms part of the new African Forest habitat and has been crafted using oak sourced sustainably from Devon, and has been designed by award-winning timber framing specialists, Carpenter Oak,” a zoo spokesperson said.
Inside the ‘gorilla gym’ at the new African Forest habitat at Bristol Zoo Project(Image: Bristol Zoo Project)
“The brand-new timber structure spans three indoor areas in the new gorilla and mangabey house and combines the ancient craft of timber framing skills with modern engineering to create a world-class primate enrichment structure.
“It features resting platforms, nests , and will soon include a ‘biofloor’ of bark chip mulch, to offer a natural and stimulating environment for the new residents.The new habitat has been designed to provide physical, social, behavioural, and psychological enrichment to the gorillas in their exciting new home, and encourages natural behaviours like climbing and nesting, helping the gorillas thrive in an environment that reflects their wild habitat,” they added.
