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)