Fw: primfocus: Jakarta - Ragunan zoo to receive four male gorillas from Howletts Port Lympne

August 6, 2001

Ragunan Zoo to receive four male gorillas

City News - August 01, 2001

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)

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