Work is taking shape on our new African Forest habitat here at Bristol Zoo Project, where Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas and Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys will live in a mixed-species habitat for the first time in a UK zoo.

Primate Keeper Gareth Davies recently took a trip to Frankfurt Zoo in Germany to gain insight and information on this same mixed-species habitat.

Here, Gareth shares his experience of the visit in preparation for the new developments at Bristol Zoo Project…

Armed with a long list of questions for the keepers at Frankfurt, I set off from London Heathrow on a cold Monday morning. Arriving in Frankfurt at lunchtime, I was very thankful for the efficiency of German public transport, where a direct train from the airport to the zoo (or at least the closest station!) was waiting for me. After a short train ride and walk, I made it to Frankfurt Zoo and was met by the Curator of Primates and Ungulates, Dr Sabrina Linn. After a quick introductory chat, we made it to the Ape House.

The Borgori-World Ape House was built in 2008 and contains three species of great ape – the bonobo, the Sumatran orangutan and the western lowland gorilla. Within this area, the gorillas share a habitat with cherry-crowned mangabeys, as well as a bird aviary, which is contained within the house.

Seven western lowland gorillas, one silverback, three adult females, two younger females, and one juvenile male, share their home with nine mangabeys - three males and five females, plus a new baby that was born after my visit. The space looks great and works well as it is made up of two shared large indoor areas, four gorilla management dens, two shared outdoor areas, plus two large separate indoor areas for the mangabeys, and seven separate management dens. The two species live peacefully with each other, and if anything, the mangabeys are more confident than the gorillas and were quite happy to displace them for food. The extra activity brought into the habitat by the mangabeys adds another level of dynamism to the space, as the gorillas do spend a large amount of time resting!

Upon my arrival, I was introduced to the keeping team by Dr Linn, who I would be spending the rest of my week with. Eight keepers work in the Ape House, but usually only three or four are working on any given day. Over the course of the week, I had plenty of time to work alongside the mangabeys and gorillas, as well as ask A LOT of questions. I had many things to find out, such as dietary information, social structures, habitat design, dos and don’ts, and how to successfully mix the two species, along with many others! The keepers were brilliant with their information, and I’m happy to say that all our questions were answered.

I was also involved in the daily routines for the animals, getting stuck in with the daily cleans, moving animals, feeding and medicating them – all the same types of jobs that we do here at Bristol Zoological Society. However, I was also able to do a small amount of work alongside the orangutans and spent an hour in the Grzimek Nocturnal House with the aye-ayes – a great experience and a first for me!

This trip was a fantastic experience, where I learned an awful lot about mangabeys and how to enable them to live peacefully alongside gorillas. It has given us a great information base to work from when the mangabeys arrive at our African Forest habitat, and we introduce them to our western lowland gorilla troop. My visit to Frankfurt got me incredibly excited for the mix, which I think will create a dynamic, entertaining habitat for animals, staff, and visitors alike!

The new African Forest habitat at Bristol Zoo Project, which will be opening to the public in spring 2026, will be home to some of the world’s most threatened species, including our troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas, a new group of Endangered cherry-crowned mangabey monkeys, Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, Endangered African grey parrots and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish. It will also include a state-of-the-art learning space for immersive education experiences.

Keep up-to-date on the development and all of our amazing news on our social channels, via our e-newsletter and our blog!