A wild and magical Christmas

A wild and magical Christmas awaits at Wild Place Project

Christmas is a magical time at Wild Place Project and perfect for a day outside with family and friends. Located just off J17 of the M5 near Bristol, it will remain open throughout the whole of the festive period with the exception of Christmas Day. A visit at this time of year gives the chance to see Wild Place Project’s animals, including cheetahs, red river hogs, wolves, exotic birds, giraffes, and lemurs adjusting to the cooler climes of their outdoor exhibits or snuggling up within the warmth of their houses.

There is also the opportunity to see two reindeers, Molly and Holly. Wild Place Project has an array of animals, including cheetahs, red river hogs, wolves, exotic birds, giraffes, and lemurs. Christmas will be a much sleepier affair for the European brown bears, if the temperature drops they hunker down for a lighter state of hibernation called ‘torpor’. Dagmar Smeed, Head of Marketing and Communications at Wild Place Project, said: “There’s something pretty magical about walking around Wild Place Project, layered up in warm clothes, watching some of the world’s most threatened animals.

“Nature has a wonderful way of allowing us to escape everyday pressures and it’s always a pleasure to see the looks of delight from our visitors enjoying a day out over the festive period. “We have acres of outdoor space for family and friends to enjoy safely and have fun together, including our dramatic raised walkway in Bear Wood.” Christmas visitors can warm up with hot drinks from Wild Place’s on-site cafes or over a clay-fired pizza at its Base Camp Pizzeria. And, if a Christmas shopping spree is in order, there’s a whole host of gifts for any animal-lover inside the Wild Place Project gift shop. Gifts for any age can be purchased whether visiting the attraction or not and include stationery, plush toys, books, stocking fillers, and many other lifestyle products.

Wild Place Project, a registered conservation charity, has also launched its 2021 animal adoption packs, ideal for any animal-loving recipient. People can choose to adopt a ‘conspiracy’ of ring-tailed lemurs, the ‘sleuth’ of four European brown bears, the ‘tower’ of three reticulated giraffes, or the ‘dazzle’ of three plains zebra, all living at the attraction. Adoption packs include a 3D wooden model of the chosen animal, a factfile and a certificate. The prices for adoption packs start at £30.

Every visit to Wild Place Project, every purchase of an adoption pack, products from the gift shop, and food and beverages, all contribute towards the safeguarding of all threatened species at Wild Place Project and our conservation work across the world.

For more information about Wild Place Project and to book your festive visit in advance, visit wildplace.org.uk. In March last year Bristol Zoological Society launched the BZS Appeal to ensure the future of its work ‘saving wildlife together’ following the temporary closure of both its sites in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As school groups can now be welcomed back to both zoos, donations from the appeal fund will support the Bursary Fund, to ensure schools and community groups in disadvantaged areas are able to benefit from visiting Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place Project.

For more details or to make a donation, visit https://bristolzoo.org.uk/bzsappeal