Bristol Zoo has a new home on the edge of the city, having moved from Clifton; a 136-acre Wild Place Project site. This follows the closure of the Society’s 186-year-old Bristol Zoo Gardens on September 3 as the charity looks to a wildlife conservation agenda.
When the work is completed over the next few years, around 80 per cent of the species at the new Bristol Zoo will be linked to conservation breeding and conservation around the world – more than any other zoo in the UK. Wild Place Project will remain open to visitors during the development.
Upgraded CCTV over the site is crucial. The installation, carried out by KIS Fire and Security, has already delivered conservation benefits. For the first time, a wolverine cub has been born and raised at Bristol, with vets using remote video to avoid disturbing the animals during the high-risk birth period – something that may result in new-borns not surviving. The IDIS video products give staff 24/7 visibility over enclosures, perimeters, and public areas, including raised tree-top walkways.
IDIS’s 2MP 36x Lightmaster PTZs, which deliver images in full HD resolution and can capture footage at distances of up to 350m in darkness, are helping maintenance staff verify that fences are not compromised by storm damage and falling branches. The cameras feature 120dB true wide dynamic range, backlight compensation, plus image control settings which means they cope with fluctuations in light and allow the well-camouflaged animals – including bears, wolves, and lynxes – to be seen.
The IDIS Center VMS (video management software) operating platform is in use. The zoo plans to integrate it with Microsoft Active Directory, for the managing of access rights, and with perimeter detection.
Adam Evans, Head of IT at Bristol Zoological Society said: “Our IDIS video solution, delivered by KIS Fire & Security, gives us the best long-term value for Wild Place Project, with the flexibility to scale and adapt as we develop the new Bristol Zoo. Looking ahead, IDIS also makes it easy for us to take advantage of AI-powered analytics and integrate with wider systems.”
Pete Dowsett, Installation Manager at KIS Fire & Security, added: “With this end-to-end surveillance solution, the Wild Place Project can reliably and cost-effectively safeguard its animals, visitors, and staff. It was a privilege to be selected to work on an important and unique conservation project such as this, and we look forward to supporting Bristol Zoological Society for many years to come.”
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