DESPITE THE property slump, Dublin Zoo’s gorillas are trading up.
The zoo’s seven-strong troop of western lowland gorillas has moved to a newly designed rainforest habitat on the African Plains side of the Phoenix Park campus.
The 12,000sq m habitat of undulating topography – unveiled to the public yesterday – has been carefully designed to replicate the apes’ natural west African habitat.
In a double celebration, the zoo also announced the birth of a female infant, born earlier this month, just days after the gorillas were moved to their new home.
Keepers said the infant’s sex would be crucial to the breeding potential of these critically endangered primates.
In one of her last official engagements as President, Mary McAleese opened the new habitat, describing it as “yet another exciting initiative in this great establishment’s history.
“A lot of things have changed since I began to live next door 14 years ago, but one thing that has not changed, however, is the huge popularity of Dublin Zoo.”
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, a long-standing supporter and backer of the zoo, was also in attendance.
Asked for a comment on the presidential race, he politely declined, saying: “Listen, I’m staying out of trouble.”
The plan to move the gorillas from their antiquated enclosure in the main part of the old campus to a more suitable habitat had been in the pipeline for several years before work on the project finally got under way last year.
The gorillas, the largest of all primates, favour quiet, tranquil environments. The zoo’s new habitat design – inspired by the Mbeli Bai natural park in the Congo – cost €3 million to construct.
High, rocky outcrops and trees afford the apes a prime view of the surrounding landscape, while water features and dense vegetation permit them to forage and rest in secluded places.
“Every detail of this wonderful rainforest has been thought through carefully to resemble as closely as possible the gorillas’ natural habitat,” said Dublin Zoo director Leo Oosterweghel. “This new home should encourage them to continue breeding and to encourage their natural behaviours giving visitors to Dublin Zoo the most amazing gorilla experience.”
Western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources red list of threatened species.
