The Bristol zookeeper who has cradled gorillas and has rebuilt a rainforest
Alan Toyne has always had a keen eye for the natural world
Lewis Clarke
12:00, 11 May 2025
Updated 18:19, 11 May 2025
Young Afia hitching a ride—clinging tightly to Alan’s back, mimicking the way infant gorillas would cling to their mothers in the wild.
It’s not every day you meet someone who has cradled a baby gorilla in a car seat, brought it home after work, and fallen asleep with it curled into their arm on Christmas Day.
But for Alan Toyne, former zookeeper turned author, such moments are not just memories—they are milestones in a life deeply intertwined with some of our closest evolutionary cousins.
Alan’s story, captured in his memoir Gorillas in Our Midst , is more than an account of life behind the scenes at Bristol Zoo—it’s a meditation on human-animal bonds, the ethics of conservation, and what it truly means to care.
Born and raised with a keen eye for the natural world, Alan’s early fascination with primates took root during childhood visits to London Zoo.
“I used to visit once a year when we went to see my Gran during the school summer holidays,” he recalls. “That was the first time I saw a gorilla. I was fascinated by all the primates, the way they moved and interacted with each other.”
Hasani sprawled across a surrogate’s back—comfortably dozing in the safety of his social group, a sign of successful reintegration and trust.
Fuelled by programmes like Life on Earth and inspired by figures such as Diane Fossey, young Alan joined the Dodo Club—then part of what’s now the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. He later formalised his passion for conservation at East London University, studying anthropology with a focus on what he calls "primate politics".
More:
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-zookeeper-who-cradled-gorillas-10152625