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News Archive
Below are the news reports for Bristol Zoo Gardens, covering significant events concerning the animal collection, such as births, arrivals, departures, and deaths.
Death: 19 May 2010
Moti, the 15-year-old Asiatic Lioness has sadly had to be put down, due to an extensive disease of her reproductive tract that was seriously affecting her health. It is hoped that a new lioness will arrive in the summer to join Kamal and continue the breeding programme for this Critically Endangered species.
Birth: April 2010
Fifteen Partula faba Tree Snails have been born. This colony of 88 snails is the only one in the world; the species is extinct in the wild, due to the introduction of other snail species to its native French Polynesian island of Raiatea and loss of habitat.
Birth: March 2010
A baby White-Faced Saki Monkey has been born, to parents Zebedee and Rio.
Birth: March 2010
Two baby Meerkats have been born.
Birth: 18 February 2010
A baby Black Howler Monkey has been born, to parents MacGinty and Amarello.
Birth: February 2010
A baby Owl Monkey (aka Douroucouli) has been born.
Birth: May 2009
A baby female Ring-Tailed Lemur has been born, to parents Roxy and Snout.
Arrival: 13 February 2009
A young female Aldabran Giant Tortoise called Matilda has arrived from London Zoo, to join the existing male Biggie in the hope that they will breed.
Birth: February 2009
Fifteen baby Dragon Fish have been born, the first time this highly endangered species has successfully bred in Europe.
Birth: 29 January 2009
A baby male Black Howler Monkey called Darwin has been born, to parents MacGinty and Amarillo.
Birth: January 2009
A baby Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat has been born. Good news for this highly endangered species, which is predicted to be extinct in the wild within 24 years, if the current rate of decline continues. The species is threatened by habitat loss and predation.
Arrival: September 2008
A young, orphaned female Gorilla called Kera has arrived from Wilhelma Zoo, Germany, where she has been hand-reared.
Arrival: August 2008
A Six-Banded Armadillo called Archie has arrived, and will join the daily `Amazing Animals' displays.
Birth: July 2008
A baby Chinese (or Yellow-Margined) Box Turtle has hatched. Good news for this Endangered species.
Birth: May 2008
A female baby Ring-tailed Lemur called Warbie has been born, to mum Roxy.
Birth: April 2008
A baby male Southern Pudu has been born to parents Bramble and Demitrio. This is the smallest deer species and is classified as vulnerable, due to habitat loss in their native lowland temperate rainforests of Chile and south-west Argentina.
Birth: March 2008
Three baby Meerkats have been born, two boys and a girl.
Arrival: 29 February 2008
A male Asiatic Lion called Kamal has arrived from Twycross Zoo, to replace the zoo's existing male Lion, Chandra, who has moved to Cotswold Wildlife Park (to replace their male who died in November). These moves have been coordinated by the European breeding programme for this species, which is critically endangered with only about 350 left in the wild.
Birth: 25 December 2007
A baby Greater Malay Mouse Deer has been born, good news for the breeding programme for this endangered species.
Arrival: 28 November 2007
A pair of Agile Gibbons, known as `Kings of the Swingers', have arrived. Duana, the 7-year-old female came from Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, Ireland and Samuel the 11-year-old male came from Twycross Zoo. It is hoped they will become an active part of the European breeding programme.
Birth: 23 November 2007
A baby Aye Aye called Raz (short for Razafindraniatsimaniry!) has been born. He is being hand-reared by keepers and doing well, but will not be weaned and returned to his mother on show in Twilight World for several months. This strange-looking nocturnal primate species is endangered in its native Madagascar due to habitat loss and hunting.
Birth: October 2007
Three baby Squirrel Monkeys have been born, to separate mothers.
Birth: 15 December 2006
Baby Western Lowland Gorilla born following ground-breaking fertility treatment. The baby is a boy, now named Komale, and was born to parents Jock and Salome.
Open/Arrival: 22 August 2006
The lemur garden of the Monkey Jungle exhibit is now open. This offers visitors the opportunity to walk among ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs in a naturalistic setting. Two new female ring-tailed lemurs also arrived from Twycross Zoo to join the existing group of 2 males and 2 females.
Open: 14 July 2006
Official opening of the new Monkey Jungle exhibit. This features new naturalistic enclosures for the howler monkeys, lion-tailed macaques, and de Brazza's monkeys, along with a walk-through enclosure for ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs.
Birth: 26 June 2006
Eleven flamingo chicks hatched from eggs supplied (on permanent loan) by Slimbridge. They are currently being hand-reared but have already joined the existing flock in a refurbished enclosure that features a walk-through path fro visitors.
Birth: June 2006
Two new fur seal pups, Tia and Bonita, were born to separate mothers on 4 June and 21 May, respectively. Bonita was born prematurely, and has had to be hand-reared.
Birth: 23 April 2006
Female Brazilian Tapir calf born, the second successful birth for the parents. The Brazilian Tapir is an endangered species, and the new calf is the result of a co-ordinated breeding programme.
Birth: 12 August 2005
20 baby Meller's giant chameleons successfully hatched, and are the offspring of four adult chameleons rescued by Customs & Excise at Heathrow airport. The babies will stay at the zoo until old enough to be moved to other zoos.
Birth: 17 May 2005
Baby western lowland gorilla born to Romina, the first adult Gorilla to be given a cataract operation in Europe.
Depart: 21 March 2005
2 red panda cubs, born at the zoo in June 2003, have recently moved to a new home at Birmingham Nature Centre, in support of the conservation breeding programme for this highly endangered species.
Birth: 11 February 2005
Female Aye-Aye born, the first to be captive bred and hand reared in the UK. The Aye-Aye, a type of Lemur, is the largest nocturnal primate in the world, and one of the strangest mammals.
Birth: 10 February 2005
Male Brazilian Tapir calf born, the first for its parents.
Notes:
Where possible, the dates given are for the event itself, but some zoos do not make this information available, when the date of announcement is used instead.
Seasons: Winter = Jan - Mar, Spring = Apr - Jun, Summer = Jul - Sept, Autumn = Oct - Dec.
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