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Art trail celebrates arrival of black bears at zoo
Jersey Zoo is planning an island-wide art trail to celebrate the arrival of Asiatic black bears at the zoo in 2027. The project aims to connect the bears with the smaller creatures and natural systems that support wildlife, while encouraging people to explore Jersey and engage with conservation.
Launching in July next year, the trail will feature bear and bee sculptures placed in wild, coastal and urban locations. Artists, schools and community groups will be invited to contribute designs, and the sculptures are expected to be auctioned at summer’s end to raise funds. A previous trail of 54 tortoise sculptures raised £720,000 for a new tropical house.
In short
- Jersey Zoo’s new art trail will celebrate Asiatic black bears arriving in 2027.
- Bear and bee sculptures will appear across the island from July next year.
- A final auction is planned to raise funds for conservation.
Explained simply
Jersey Zoo is part of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, a charity founded by naturalist Gerald Durrell to protect endangered wildlife. Asiatic black bears are a bear species found across parts of Asia; the zoo plans to welcome them in 2027.
Wildlife depends on connected natural systems, including pollinators such as bees and the habitats they support. The trail will place sculptures around Jersey and involve artists, schools and community groups, linking a public art project with the zoo’s conservation work.