Ragunan Zoo to receive four male gorillas

Ragunan Zoo to receive four male gorillas

JAKARTA (JP): The city's Ragunan zoo will have four male
gorillas which will arrive here from England in October, an
official said.

The zoo's director Ismunanto said the African animals which
were born in the Howletts Port Lympne Wildlife Park, England,
would be "lent" to Ragunan zoo for a year.

"If we can keep the gorillas well, they will be given to us,"
Ismunanto said, adding that the Ragunan zoo would be the only zoo
in Asia which has the giant apes.

He claimed a Japanese zoo once wanted to buy a gorilla at the
price of Rp 250 billion (US$25 million), but it was refused by
the wildlife park.

He said the Ragunan zoo was able to have the gorillas because
it was helped by a animal lovers foundation founded by the late
Mrs. Puck Schmutzer.

The foundation financed the delivery of the gorillas as well
as the building of a one-hectare enclosure in the Ragunan zoo,
which Ismunanto described as the largest and most luxurious
gorilla enclosure in the world.

The low-land species of African ape would be able to adjust
easily with the tropical climate and to the enclosure in the
Ragunan zoo, Ismunanto said at the City Hall.

"We intend to meet City Governor Sutiyoso to file a proposal
to get a kind of 'citizenship' for the four gorillas.

"We also plan to ask the city administration to help fund the
food for the gorillas," he said without mentioning the amount of
the fund needed for the gorillas' food," Ismunanto said.

He added the gorillas usually eat apples, pears and grapes.

He said the zoo could not afford such food. Currently, the zoo
get its income mainly from entrance tickets, currently priced at
Rp 3,000 (30 U.S. cents) per visitor.

The 140-hectare Ragunan zoo currently has 3,500 animals
consisting of 253 species. (jun)