Glaswegians were heartbroken when the gates of their beloved zoo closed for good, with a devastating reason behind the popular attraction’s demise.
Glasgow Zoo was a sprawling 99-acre attraction in Baillieston which had been a cherished part of the community since 1947. Originally founded by the Zoological Society of Glasgow and West of Scotland, it occupied the grounds of the former Calderpark Estate.
During its heyday, the treasured zoo housed more than 600 animals, employing full-time staff to care for them and welcoming an influx of 140,000 visitors annually.
Its closure came suddenly in 2003, and more than two decades later, barely any remnants of Glasgow Zoo can be found. The driving force behind its demise was a staggering level of debt.
View 3 ImagesIt permanently closed in 2003(Image: Glasgow Live)
The zoo said goodbye to visitors in August 2003 after accumulating approximately £3.5 million in debt and failing to renew its zookeeper licence.
The decline of the zoo during its final years is thought to have been largely caused by insufficient council funding and ongoing battles against accusations of animal cruelty.
At that time, zoos throughout the United Kingdom were licensed by local authorities under the 1981 Zoo Licensing Act, which mandated regular inspections at least once every six years. An extra inspection was carried out at the zoo in 2002 following multiple complaints, which uncovered numerous concerning issues.
Jordi Casamitjana, a former animal welfare investigator, alleged that the enclosures had fallen into a state of decay, posing a serious risk to both animals and visitors, while also highlighting crumbling infrastructure and visible signs of stress and depression amongst some of the animals.
View 3 ImagesIt once housed over 600 animals(Image: Glasgow Live)
Findings from the council’s inspection were uncovered by several animal rights groups, and combined with their own observations, the zoo’s decline became irreversible.
When the zoo shut its gates, a frantic effort ensued to ensure all animals were safely rehomed, giving rise to widespread speculation about their fate. Sadly, during this process, Bongo, a 32 year old Asiatic bear suffering from cancer, was put down after spending only a few years at the zoo. He was the sole animal to undergo this procedure.
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By the close of 2003, every animal had been successfully relocated, leaving the remainder of the site to fall into abandonment.
The grounds that once drew thousands of eager visitors lay neglected and forgotten, with numerous old structures crumbling into disrepair. Many of the enclosures that had once housed the animals were left demolished or vandalised, with evidence of illegal dumping, and some had even been set alight.
Today, Glasgow Zoo has taken on an almost mythical status, with entire generations never having had the chance to experience a place once teeming with wildlife right on their doorstep. In its place now stands a large residential housing development.