Bristol Zoological Society, which owns and runs the Bristol Zoo Project, has launched a brand campaign to promote its conservation efforts across the world.
The UK charity’s ‘Destination Conservation’ campaign was made possible through a £360,000 grant from advertising agency Ocean Outdoor’s annual environmental fund.
It aims to showcase the Bristol Zoological Society’s global conservation work, and to promote the Bristol Zoo Project as a tourist destination where visitors can make a difference to endangered species.
Brian Zimmerman, director of conservation and science at Bristol Zoological Society, said: “This is a really exciting moment for us as we launch our first-ever conservation-focused campaign.
“Many people have heard of Bristol Zoo the visitor attraction, but don’t realise that we are so much more than that.
“As a conservation and education charity working in nine countries across four continents, we are working to conserve and protect the world’s most threatened species.”
Threatened species at Bristol Zoo Project
As part of the push, billboard advertisements for the zoo featuring the coats of threatened species like giraffe and zebra will be shown at key locations across the UK until the end of August.
Zimmerman added, “Currently, 85 percent of animals at Bristol Zoo Project are both threatened and part of targeted conservation programmes. Our aim is for this to rise to 90 percent by 2035.
“We are on a journey to create a new, progressive conservation zoo with animals living in larger, natural habitats.
“It will be perfectly placed to engage and inspire the conservationists of the future – ensuring future generations come face-to-face with animals in nature.”
Bristol Zoo Project is currently undergoing a major transformation, with work underway on an African Forest habitat for the zoo’s troop of critically endangered western lowland gorillas.
The habitat will also house endangered cherry-crowned mangabey monkeys, critically endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, endangered African grey parrots, and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish
Matthew Philpott, head of marketing at Bristol Zoological Society, said visitors to the zoo “can experience the incredible species in our care, which need support”.
“Simply by visiting, they are enabling us to continue and further our work,” he added.
