Bristol Zoo Raises Over £200,000 in Historic Auction of Zoo Memorabilia
By Joel, 16, Jill Dando News Correspondent
Bristol Zoo recently held two online auctions featuring over 300 items, including original zoo signage, animal sculptures, and Victorian benches.
The proceeds will support the creation of a new conservation zoo and critical conservation efforts.
The first auction on November 22 raised £161,600, attracting bidders from around the world.
A second auction of 45 iconic Victorian benches generated £25,000 - equivalent to almost a year of funding for the zoo's Madagascar conservation programme protecting blue-eyed black lemurs.
An additional £20,000 was raised at a gala fundraising dinner. To preserve the zoo's legacy, the organization took careful steps to document and protect its historical items:
- A specialist archivist identified historically valuable items now stored in Bristol City Council archives
- Significant site elements were listed and protected
- Key historical artifacts were retained for future display at Bristol Zoo Project and the Clifton Conservation Hub
- Items were repurposed where possible, such as an old Clifton enclosure now serving as a red panda habitat
A Bristol Zoo spokesperson commented, "It has been wonderful to watch these auctions and see people celebrating our long history while helping us fund our future conservation work."
The fundraising efforts will support the zoo's mission of saving wildlife and protecting the world's most threatened species.
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