FWD: S. African zoo best place for gorillas, says director

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This article is from The Star Online

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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/7/22/nation/5895779 & sec=nation

 

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Tuesday, July 22, 2003

S. African zoo best place for gorillas, says director

 

 

PRETORIA: A South African zoo director yesterday defended plans by the

Malaysian Government to send four baby gorillas to the country, saying his zoo

was the best place for the primates, who would be killed if let out into the

wild.

 

Willie Labuschagne, director at the Pretoria Zoo, reacted to requests by

international primate conservationists to have the decision reviewed by the

Malaysian Government.

 

The four baby gorillas were believed to have been captured in the wild and

smuggled out of Nigeria.

 

“I am well aware of the incredible exposure that these animals have suffered,”

Labuschagne said in reaction to a report quoting the International Primate

Protection League (IPPL).

 

“I am not going to become part and parcel of a situation if I'm not confident

that we have the ability to take care of it,” he said.

 

IPPL director Shirley McGreal told the Sunday Star in Kuala Lumpur that the

Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon was a better option as it has a good record

with rescued gorillas.

 

“I'm not here to degrade other institutions but the National Zoological Gardens

(in Pretoria) is, weight by weight, far more advanced and professional than the

Limbe Wildlife Centre. It is really not comparing apples with apples,” said

Labuschagne.

 

He said that some one million rand (RM494,000) had been made available to

upgrade the gorilla enclosure at the zoo.

 

He said a decision whether to relocate the primates was expected later in the

week. & #8211; AFP

 

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