Art trail celebrates arrival of black bears at zoo

A stature of a bear and a stature of a bee side by side. The statues are being lit up by lights on the floor. There is a blue wall with white lines behind the statues.

Image source, Amy Lam - Durrell Wildlife Conservation TrustImage caption,

Sculptures of bears and bees will be displayed across Jersey

Published19 minutes ago

A new public art trail will mark the arrival of Asiatic black bears, Jersey Zoo has said.

Sculptures of bears and bees would be put up across the island's wild landscapes, coastal spots and urban spaces to celebrate the arrival of the new species in their new enclosure next year, said bosses.

They said the installation, which launches in July next year, aimed to shine a light on "connections that sustain the natural world, from its largest inhabitants to its smallest".

Artists will be invited to submit designs to turn the sculptures into "distinctive works of art" while and schools and community groups will also be encouraged to participate.

It is hoped the sculptures will then be sold a fundraising auction at the end of the summer.

Rebecca Brewer, chief executive of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, said: "We want everyone who connects with our work, whether at Jersey Zoo or through our conservation projects around the world, to feel they can make a difference for nature.

"Our public art trails are a wonderful way to bring that belief to life."

An Asiatic black bear features long black hair. It is looking off camera slightly.

Image source, ReutersImage caption,

Jersey Zoo will welcome Asiatic black bears in 2027

She said previous Go Wild Gorillas and Tortoise Takeover trails "brought so much joy to Jersey, encouraging people to explore parts of the island they might never have visited, walk new paths, meet new people and create lasting memories".

An auction of the 54 tortoise sculptures raised £720,000 for a new tropical house.

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