Great apes from UK arrive, quarantined for one month
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After a series of heated debates and several postponements, four male gorillas from the Howletts and Port Lymphne Animal Park in Kent, England, finally arrived here on Monday evening and were immediately sent to their luxury enclosure in Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta.
People who want to see the apes, however, will have to be patient as it will be about one month before they can be exhibited to the public, according to Governor Sutiyoso.
He told reporters at City Hall on Tuesday that the gorillas needed time for adjustment to their new environment.
"They need to be quarantined for a month before the public can see them," he said.
Sutiyoso revealed that the Gibbon Foundation, which initiated the procurement of the giant apes, has granted Rp 10 billion (US$1.1 billion) for the feeding and upkeep of the gorillas over three years.
He said the zoo had also sent staff members to the English zoo to study the habits of the gorillas.
It is still not clear what will happen to the gorillas and who will finance them should they still be here after three years.
Last year, the city administration claimed it had allocated Rp 3.2 billion from the city budget for the upkeep of the apes.
The allocation of such a huge sum of money sparked controversy, especially as the country was still suffering from a prolonged economic crisis.
The arrival of the gorillas, which should have happened last year, was postponed because of the controversy.
It was reported that the Rp 3.2 billion was needed as the gorillas needed a large amount of imported fruit, such as apples, grapes and pears.
But the foundation's director, Willie Smits, angrily denied the administration's claim, saying that the gorillas could eat local vegetables, hibiscus leaves (locally known as kembang sepatu), and even sugar cane, not just expensive, imported fruits.
The foundation, which was founded by animal lover, the late Mrs. Puck Schmutzer, also financed the building of the giant enclosure for the gorillas, which cost Rp 10 billion, in Ragunan Zoo.
The 1.5 hectare enclosure is located in the middle of the 14- hectare primate center.
It is still unclear whether Ragunan Zoo will still require an additional fee of Rp 3,000 for adults and Rp 2,000 for children who wish to see the gorillas, as provided for in a bylaw which was approved last year, since the upkeep of the gorillas is being fully paid for by the foundation.
Meanwhile, Ragunan Zoo's director Ismianto said on Tuesday that the gorillas, named Kihi, Kimbou, Kijou and Kumao, were in good health and were under the supervision of a veterinarian and a handler from England.
"They have started to play in their new enclosure, and eat hibiscus leaves and sugar cane," Ismianto said.
Two of the gorillas weigh some 600 kilograms each while the other two weigh around 300 kilograms.