From now on, four gorillas can be seen again. The group, consisting of three females and a silverback, is temporarily housed at Diergaarde Blijdorp. This is at the request of the coordinator of the population management program.
Pictures: Shirley Kroos
The 18-year-old Shomari, the 16-year-old Gasira, and Uzuri, aged 17, came from Pairi Daiza and are now joined by Makeba, a female from Münster, Germany. With the arrival of these four animals, Blijdorp once again has a wonderful group, including a silverback. This impressive leader is larger and stronger than the females, can grow up to 1.80 meters tall, and weigh nearly 200 kilograms. His distinctive grey back hair appears once he reaches adulthood.
The gorillas have been able to get to know each other extensively in the recently renovated indoor enclosures. They can now also be seen outside, where they have been introduced to the white-crowned mangabeys.
In Rotterdam, work will begin in the coming years on the restoration of the iconic, historic Rivièra Hall. The project will start with the Victoria greenhouse, after which the gorilla enclosure will be addressed in a few years’ time. Instead of leaving it vacant until then, it has been decided to use it as temporary accommodation for other gorilla groups. This is partly due to the expertise that Diergaarde Blijdorp has with these animals. The intention is that, in due course, the animals in temporary care will depart directly from Rotterdam to their final destination.
The situation of the species is highly concerning. Deforestation, poaching, and deadly diseases such as malaria and especially Ebola have severely impacted populations. That is why zoos worldwide are committed to protecting this iconic species from extinction.