Dead tree leads to gorilla escape fears

The gorillas will soon be moved to a new habitat at the Wild Place Project

A dead tree will be removed at Bristol Zoo, after fears it could be used as an escape route for the gorillas.

A consultant's report in planning documents submitted to Bristol City Council on 24 September said "whole tree failure is a possibility".

"Should any part of the tree fail, it could create a bridging risk, allowing the gorillas to escape the enclosure, or damage the electric fencing, which could also lead to an escape."

The zoo, which closed in 2022 but where the gorillas remain, has to replace the tree with the same species, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Because of the risk the tree could fall, an urgent five-day notice for removal was granted by Bristol City Council.

The report, by Wotton Tree Consultancy, said the tree in good health in 2023 but was fully defoliated by the middle of summer this year after it was attacked by a fungus.

A new habitat is being constructed for the gorillas, who are living at Bristol Zoo's former Clifton site while work is carried out at the larger Bristol Zoo Project.

The gorillas will move to the new location next year.