A few weeks ago we took a trip to Whipsnade Zoo for my girlfriend’s birthday. Her favourite animal is the red panda, so she was a little disappointed to find a sign on their enclosure saying that they’ve been moved to London Zoo.

This weekend we had to visit the West Country for a family event, so we thought we’d head to Bristol Zoo on the way back. It’s worth noting that Bristol Zoo is a great place to visit – perhaps the best zoo I’ve been to. It’s nicely laid out and beautifully landscaped and tended: It’s easy to overlook the work of the gardeners when looking for animals, but the flower borders and neatly mowed lawns all subtly add to the overall impression of the zoo. Of course the animals themselves are fascinating, with care and attention taken to habitats and welfare to balance the needs of the animals with accessibility to the public.

The one downside to the day, though, came as we approached the red panda enclosure to find a sign stating that it was being refurbished. It looks like we might have to take a trip to Birmingham to see them.