Urgent warning gorillas 'could escape from zoo' because of dead tree

A hazardous tree next to the moat on gorilla island could fall and creates a bridge to freedom

Gorillas at the closed Bristol Zoo Gardens could escape if a dead tree next to the moat on their island falls and creates a bridge to freedom, planning documents reveal. It could also knock out the electric fence and let the animals escape.

The danger prompted Bristol Zoological Society to issue an urgent five-day notice to chop down the weeping willow at the former tourist attraction in Clifton, which was granted by the city council. The tree on Gorilla Island succumbed to a destructive parasitic fungus.

In an email to the council, the zoo's landscape manager said: "We have recently identified a dead and hazardous willow tree within the gorilla enclosure at Bristol Zoo Gardens. A professional survey has highlighted the risks associated with its location next to the gorilla moat.

"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. Given the potential severity of this situation, I am providing a five-day notice for the tree's removal."

Wotton Tree Consultancy's report said: "Whole tree failure is a possibility given the low wood density of the species type. This could then create an escape route for gorillas.

"The tree is now dead and occupying a location in where, should it fail, is likely to bridge the watercourse, and create a potential escape route for gorillas. It is my strong recommendation that this tree is removed."

The zoo, which closed in 2022, has to replace the tree with the same species.