The Bristol Zoo Gardens was closed down in September 2022, and gorillas have been kept in captivity there as the zoo constructs their new enclosure. This follows heavy criticism from animal rights organizations over the “close proximity of their facility” and growing concerns from the general public.
A group of individuals who describe themselves as “urban explorers” recently released videos showing the state of the old zoo. The footage revealed various abandoned structures, including a decommissioned aquarium, but the part that alarmed viewers most was a gorilla inside a large building tapping the glass toward the people recording the video. The clip has since gone viral.
The managing company of the closed zoo, the Bristol Zoological Society, quickly issued a formal statement responding to the outrage sparked by the viral footage. The company explained that the gorillas have remained at the closed zoo for three years because their new “African Forest habitat” at the society’s new site is still under construction. The company has yet to give a date for when the gorillas will be moved to the new facility. The public, understandably, cannot wait until that happens.
However, this viral moment is not Bristol Zoological Society’s first brush with controversy. According to The Mirror, the Jane Goodall–collaborating foundation Born Free has long criticized the zoo for keeping gorillas in an enclosure deemed too small. In a scathing assessment, Born Free stated, “Great apes also pose a serious safety risk when they are kept in unnaturally close proximity to humans in zoos.”
Still, the Bristol Zoological Society maintains that the gorillas continue to receive care from the same team that has looked after them for years. The society insists that, despite the zoo’s closure, the animals are still given medical checkups and regular feeding schedules. As for why a gorilla might appear confined inside a building near a window like a very dangerous house cat, the organization claims it is a safety measure, explaining that “trespassers pose a risk.” They added that the gorillas continue to have “daily outside access.”
But those who entered the property tell a different story. The urban explorers allege that the old zoo has virtually no security. They claim to have spent two hours on-site without interruption and even returned two days later without encountering any staff. One of them said, “If anyone is trying to say we broke in or climbed over, it’s not true. We simply went to the staff doors, pushed them open, and walked straight through.”
The concept of zoos has always been controversial. On one hand, they can provide sanctuary and spark educational documentaries about animal care and conservation. On the other hand, when operated as quick cash grabs — treating animals as mere “products” — they risk descending into neglect and ethical failure.
It’s impossible to determine exactly how Bristol Zoological Society views the animals in its care. But one thing is clear: as articulate as their statement may have been, their facilities — at least from what the footage shows — do not seem to live up to their words.
