Wow! Gorillas trail draws to a close

Few can have missed the colourful, life-size Wow! Gorillas sculptures on the streets of Bristol this summer. The 61 fibreglass gorilla statues appeared all over the streets and parks of the city for everyone to enjoy in celebration of Bristol Zoo's 175th birthday year.

As varied as they are eye-catching, the sculptures include a gorilla dressed as a zoo keeper, another as a tourist, gorillas wearing pyjamas, and others painted with the Bristol skyline. There has even been a Brunel gorilla, a pirate gorilla, a surfing gorilla, a skiing gorilla and an Elvis gorilla!

The sculptures have been a huge hit with residents and tourists visiting Bristol over the holidays, but will soon be taken off the streets in preparation for being auctioned later this month. Bristol Zoo is urging gorilla-spotters to finish the trail by Tuesday 6th September to avoid missing any. Between September 7th and 9th the sculptures will be removed and taken into storage to be prepared and re-painted, where necessary, for the auction.

Before the auction, Wow! Gorillas will be on display at the Zoo from 24th-28th September (normal zoo admission applies). The sculpture entitled 'Gorilla Tourist', which is currently in Birmingham, will be outside the front of the Zoo for the public to visit for free.

On September 29th, the sculptures will be sold at a prestigious charitable auction at the Victoria Rooms in Clifton, Bristol to raise money for Bristol Zoo's gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity. The auction will be taking place at 7pm and will include a drinks reception and live music from leading Afro Celt band Baka Beyond.

See www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas for further information.