FAQs

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• Are you open?
• I heard on the news that Bristol Zoo Gardens was closing permanently – can you tell me more?
• What changes have you made to make sure a visit to Wild Place Project is safe?
• What are you doing in response to the changes to Test and Trace?
• Do I need to wear a face covering when visiting?
• Are you accepting cash? 
• How long can I stay at Wild Place Project?
• When are tickets being released?
• I have a complimentary ticket / discount voucher, how do I redeem this?
• Do Members, Annual Pass Holders and Corporate Members need to book?
• What do I do if I can’t remember my membership number?
• Whilst I’m waiting for my Membership / Annual Pass numbers, can I buy timed tickets and then request a refund when I have my numbers?
• I’m an Annual Pass Holder/ Member and I’ve booked to visit on multiple occasions. Do I have to turn up for them all?
• Can I move my booking to another day or time?
• Can I have a refund if the weather is wet, too cold or too hot?
• Will I be allowed on site if I have a booking, but it’s not for the right entry time or date?
• What areas remain closed?
• Will the shop be open?
• Will the cafés and kiosks be open?
• What happens if I start to experience Coronavirus symptoms, or need to start self-isolating, after I have pre-purchased my ticket?
• I have a ticket that I bought prior to lockdown – I was told that it was valid for 12 months – now what do I do?
• How are you protecting the animals? Can Zoo animals catch COVID-19?
• When will Camp Baboon reopen?
• When will ‘Animal Experiences’ start again?
• What is the BZS Appeal?
• I have a further query, how do I get in contact?
• I have sent an email but haven’t yet received a reply.

Are you open?

Both Wild Place Project and Bristol Zoo Gardens are open.

We advise you to book your tickets on our website, in advance of your visit. A limited number of tickets are available at timeslots each day and we ask you to bring your booking confirmation number and show this to the team at admissions.

If you are an Annual Pass Holder, Corporate Member or Dual Member we advise you to also book your timed entry slot online and bring your Membership Card or Annual Pass.
Unfortunately we cannot guarantee entry if you do not prebook your timeslot.

Tickets can be booked here.

When you visit us, we ask you to respect our colleagues and your fellow visitors’ personal space and continue to take actions to protect yourself and others.

As part of Step 4 of the Government Roadmap we have made some changes and we ask you to review our Site Rules before you visit.

We continue to reopen areas wherever possible, however this may take us a few days to implement, so please also check our Updates Page for all the latest news.
 

I heard on the news that Bristol Zoo Gardens was closing permanently – can you tell me more?

We understand that you will have many questions, and we have prepared a video, a frequently asked questions document and news release. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing more details and asking people to join us in a conversation to shape a bold new future for Bristol Zoological Society and Bristol Zoo.

We know that the closure of Bristol Zoo Gardens in late 2022, will come as sad news and the Zoo has a special place in the hearts of many people, but we hope that you can understand why we have reached this decision. This plan will ensure that Bristol Zoo continues to exist for generations to come, offering millions more people the opportunity to experience the magic of a new Bristol Zoo.

Bristol Zoo Gardens will continue to welcome visitors into 2022, and Wild Place Project will remain open throughout the development phase until it becomes the new Bristol Zoo in 2024.
 

What changes have you made to make sure a visit to Wild Place Project is safe?

Site Rules 
 
To ensure the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers, additional measures will be in place during your visit. It is essential that you read and fully understand the information below.

Do not visit if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or are self-isolating. You should follow the government guidance on testing and self-isolation.

Please remember that you have a responsibility for your own safety and wellbeing.

We ask you to respect our colleagues and your fellow visitors’ personal space and continue to take actions to protect yourself and others. We advise you to book your tickets on our website, in advance of your visit. A limited number of tickets are available at timeslots each day and we ask you to bring your booking confirmation number and show this to the team at admissions.

If you are an Annual Pass Holder, Corporate Member or Dual Member we advise you to also book your timed entry slot online and bring your Membership Card or Annual Pass.

As part of the Government Test and Trace initiative, we are encouraging every visitor over the age of 16 to provide their individual contact details. Visitors can either scan the official NHS QR code on arrival or complete a form.

The Government ‘expects and recommends’ face coverings to be worn in certain circumstances including where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet in enclosed spaces. We therefore advise visitors to wear a face covering in all indoor spaces (unless exempt). This includes animal houses, through-ways and toilets as well as our retail building. We are also asking visitors to wear face coverings in the Lemur Walkthrough.

Please arrive at your allotted time slot – you can arrive any time within the slot, but not before or after. We are not able to guarantee entry if you arrive outside of your timeslot.

If there are children in your group, please ensure that they are supervised throughout your visit. You are advised to sanitise or wash your hands regularly throughout the day. Additional facilities are provided throughout.

We are asking visitors to pay by card whenever possible, and some areas are operating on a completely cashless basis, this includes our car parks, and catering outlets.

We have enhanced our cleaning regime and cleaning checks, but please let us know if there are any problems.

For the safety and wellbeing of everyone, if you fail to observe the Site Rules during your visit, you will be politely asked to leave. The responsibility to keep everyone safe, is one everyone shares.

​Abusive behaviour to our staff or volunteers, will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
 

What are you doing in response to the changes to Test and Trace?

As part of the Government Test and Trace initiative, we are encouraging every visitor over the age of 16 to provide their individual contact details. Visitors can either scan the official NHS QR code on arrival or complete a form.
 

Do I need to wear a face covering when visiting?

The Government ‘expects and recommends’ face coverings to be worn in certain circumstances including where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet in enclosed spaces. We therefore advise visitors to wear a face covering in all indoor spaces (unless exempt). This includes animal houses, through-ways and toilets as well as our admissions and retail buildings. We are also asking visitors to wear face coverings in the Lemur Walkthrough.
 
Please see our map for more information.
 

Are you accepting cash?

We are asking visitors to pay by card whenever possible, and some areas are operating on a completely cashless basis, this includes our car parks, and catering outlets.
 

How long can I stay at Wild Place Project?

Your booked time, is your arrival time at Wild Place – but you are free to stay as long as you wish until closure.

Please note: Wild Place Project closes at 5:00pm. Bear Wood closes at 4:00pm.

When are tickets being released?

We have released tickets for the entire summer holidays and will release further dates on a one-month rolling basis.  We will not be pre-advertising the exact time the ticket slots will be released for sale, so as to help prevent technical issues. We anticipate that demand may be high and we have taken steps to anticipate potentially higher volumes of website traffic, but we must also try to reduce the pressure on our website to ensure people are able to successfully organise their visit.
 

I have a complimentary ticket / gift voucher/ free ticket with my Animal Adoption, how do I redeem this?

Unfortunately you will not be able to redeem gift vouchers or complimentary tickets online at this time.
 
Please arrive at admissions with your complimentary ticket and a member of the team will look after you.
 
If you are coming with complimentary tickets in a group of more than 10 people, please contact us in advance by emailing info@wildplace.org.uk with details of your voucher/ticket and your preferred time and date of visit.
 
Please be aware that the number of timed tickets available is strictly limited, and we are unable to process requests at short notice, so please contact us well ahead of your preferred date.

 

Do Annual Pass Holders and Corporate Members need to book?

If you are an Annual Pass Holder, Corporate Member or Dual Member we advise you to book your timed entry slot online and bring your Membership Card or Annual Pass.
 
A limited number of tickets are available at timeslots each day, and so we are continuing to recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
 
A dedicated Members booking page is available here.
 
Unfortunately we cannot guarantee entry if you do not prebook your timeslot.
 

What do I do if I can’t remember my Membership or Annual Pass number?

Please make sure you have the Annual Pass numbers for all your group before starting to book your tickets.

If you don’t have the Annual Pass numbers of those you’re trying to book for, please email us on info@wildplace.org.uk. To help us process your email quicker please send us the full names of all Annual Pass Holders, and first line of your address. This helps us to find the numbers you need.

We are receiving a high number of email enquiries, and are responding to them as quickly as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
 

Whilst I’m waiting for my Membership / Annual Pass numbers, can I buy timed tickets and then request a refund when I have my numbers? I don’t want to lose out.

Please do not ‘hold’ a time slot by buying tickets and then asking us for a refund after you have all the Membership numbers you need.
Please only book your timed entry slot once you have all your Membership numbers.
Our tickets are non-refundable.
 

I’m an Annual Pass Holder/ Member and I’ve booked to visit on multiple occasions. Do I have to turn up for them all?

Yes, we ask that you turn up for all your booked slots. If you book and do not visit then you are unfortunately stopping others from visiting and limiting the revenue we can generate to care for the animals and carry out our conservation work.
 

Can I move my booking to another day or time?

Due to the number of enquiries we receive, and the need for our team to welcome and manage visitors on site, we are currently unable to move bookings to an alternative date or time.
 

Can I have a refund if the weather is wet, cold or hot?

Our tickets are non-refundable and we won’t issue refunds if the weather is 'too wet, cold or hot'. We are confident that you can have a wonderful time, whatever the weather!
 

Will I be allowed on site if I have a booking, but it’s not for the right entry time or date?

We ask visitors to arrive at your allotted time slot – you can arrive any time within the slot, but not before or after. If you arrive at a different date / time from your booking and allocated timed entry slot, we are unable to allow people to enter with tickets for the wrong date or time.
 

What areas remain closed?

We continue to reopen areas wherever possible, so please also check our Updates Page for all the latest news
 

Will the shop be open?

Yes, the shop will be open. 
 

Will the cafés and kiosks be open?

 

What happens if I start to experience Coronavirus symptoms, or need to start self-isolating, after I have pre-purchased my ticket?

If you start to display symptoms of Coronavirus, or begin a period of self-isolation after you have booked your ticket, we will happily rearrange your visit for an alternative date and time. Email us at info@wildplace.org.uk with your booking confirmation number and your name.
 
Do not visit if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or are self-isolating. You should follow the government guidance on testing and self-isolation. 
 

I have a ticket that I have not been able to use due to lockdown – I was told that it was valid for 12 months – now what do I do?

Tickets that have expired whilst we have been closed will be extended for the duration of the closure period.

You will have already received an email from us with further instructions as to how you can book a new timed ticket.
 
If you have not received an email, please contact us on info@wildplace.org.uk.
 
Please be aware that the number of timed tickets available are strictly limited.
 

How are you protecting the animals? Can Zoo animals catch COVID-19?

None of our animals are displaying any symptoms of Coronavirus. To date there has been no evidence to suggest that the majority of zoo animals are susceptible to COVID-19.
 
However, as a precaution, we have been taking additional biosecurity measures with certain animals including big cats and non-human primates as well as some other animals in our care. In some cases, we have moved barriers to increase the distance between animals and visitors.

We are liaising with other zoos to ensure we have the latest information available and will continue to monitor the situation. No animals at Bristol Zoo or Wild Place are showing any evidence of having contracted Coronavirus and our veterinary team will remain vigilant.
 

When will Camp Baboon reopen?

Given the ongoing uncertainty caused by Coronavirus, we made the decision to not open Camp Baboon earlier this year.
 
We have contacted those who were planning on staying with us, but if you had a booking and have not received our email or have any questions regarding your booking please contact campbaboon@wildplace.org.uk.
 

When will ‘Animal Experiences’ start again?

Our Animal Experiences, by their very nature, are ‘hands-on’ interactive sessions and we are in the process of reviewing the best way for these to take place going forward. A member of the team will be in contact to rearrange your Experience for a mutually convenient time when more is known.
 
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused – we know how popular these activities are with our visitors, but we appreciate your patience whilst we review our Experiences in light of the Step 4 changes.
 

What is the BZS Appeal?

We may be reopening, but we still need your help.

The support of our friends, donors and funders is vital to realise the vision for Bristol Zoological Society and enable us to fully reach our conservation, sustainability, education and outreach ambitions for the future.
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To find out more, please see our BZS appeal page and contribute if you can.
 

I have a further query, how do I get in contact?

Please email the team on info@wildplace.org.uk with your query and contact details, and we will come back to you as soon as we can.
 

I have sent an email but haven’t yet received a reply.

Thank you for contacting us, but please bear with us as we endeavour to work through these unusual times. We will be in contact as soon as we can, and in the meantime thank you for your patience and understanding.