UK native species thrive among bears and wolves on fifth anniversary of Bear Wood

Conservation surveys of the award-winning Bear Wood habitat at Bristol Zoo Project have shown native species such as birds, invertebrates, bats and small mammals are thriving since it opened.

As the zoo celebrates Bear Wood’s fifth anniversary this year, its dedicated UK Conservation team has recently recorded the presence of a number of native species not previously found there, including spotted flycatchers, woodcock, dung beetles and greater horseshoe bats. 

It’s thought their presence may be due to the introduction of large mammals such as bears and wolves, which has increased the diversity and abundance of invertebrates which are attracted to their dung. 

Bear Wood is a 7.5-acre immersive attraction at Bristol Zoo Project, which is run by conservation and education charity Bristol Zoological Society. It’s the UK’s largest brown bear habitat with a viewing den that includes 180-degree, floor-to-ceiling glass windows. It features a treetop walkway that winds through acres of ancient British woodland and is home to European brown bears, European wolves, Eurasian lynxes and wolverines.

It was opened in 2019 by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, accompanied by their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn. The Duke of Edinburgh is also the Society’s Royal Patron.

According to a recent report published by the Society, 11 of the 17 breeding species of bat in the UK have been recorded in Bear Wood, including common pipistrelles, brown long-eared and barbastelles – a rare UK bat species associated with ancient woodland, with decreasing population trends. It is also shown to have hosted 42 bird species in 2023, 19 of which are considered to be of conservation concern. 

Three small mammal species have also been regularly recorded in Bear Wood - wood mice, yellow-necked mice and bank vole. Terrestrial invertebrate species richness and sightings have nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023 and include Pachygnatha listeria, a species of spider that only occurs in well-established or ancient broadleaved woodland, as well as dung beetle (Aphodius prodromus), and ground beetle (Elaphrus cupreus).

Additionally, there has been a 23 percent increase in ground flora since Bear Wood was created, which includes the recolonising of dog’s mercury, mosses and bluebells. 

Ancient woodland is one of the richest habitats for wildlife in the UK and the Society’s UK Conservation team has continued to monitor the impact of Bear Wood since its opening. It uses a range of techniques including regular surveys of the site and several habitat management programmes, as part of the native species strategy.

Jen Nightingale, UK Conservation Manager, said: “It is fantastic to see the positive impacts on native biodiversity that the introduction of larger mammals have had on our ancient woodland.

“Ecological surveys have indicated a noticeable increase in native species richness within the Bear Wood woodland areas, as well as the regeneration of flora and fauna, which is crucial to the biodiversity of this precious ecosystem. This really does emphasise the ecological importance of this wonderful space.

“We will continue to complete annual surveys of our woodland to assess the long-term impacts of these species on our native ecosystem. We want to ensure all the habitats we create at Bristol Zoo Project complement our natural environment. Long-term data from our surveys is vital because it provides the information needed to manage the habitats for wildlife.”

Bristol Zoological Society works to protect threatened species and animal habitats in the UK and around the world. Currently, 78 percent of animals at Bristol Zoo Project are both threatened and part of targeted conservation programmes, living in habitats embedded in the surrounding landscape.

The site is currently undergoing an exciting transformation with the creation of a new conservation zoo. Work is well underway to build a new Central African Forest habitat which will become home to the zoo’s existing troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas. They will be joined by Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys, in a UK zoo first for the two species, as well as Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, Endangered African grey parrots and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish.

Alongside this, there will be new visitor facilities and a Conservation Campus, which will include conservation, veterinary medicine, animal breeding and additional learning centres. The site will be developed sympathetically to wildlife so that its native biodiversity is enhanced, and wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity are improved. 

To find out more about Bristol Zoo Project and Bristol Zoological Society’s conservation programmes across the globe, please visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk.