Gorilla Update Seems the plans are still on, which is excellent news. Story: Gorillas in our midst | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury
That's great news for both zoos. However, I couldn't help noticing the bad error of the number of offspring that Kibabu has had. He has not fathered 14 offspring since being in Australia, he has fathered 6 (well, actually 8 including two stillbirths). He does, however, have 14 total surviving offspring.
I wonder if Mahale will now join them seeing that he is only one year younger than Fuzu and would probably make introductions between Kibali and the females more complex.
Almost certainly (is my guess) as he would be about seven years old by 2015. As I mentioned somewhere else, I did wonder how Taronga will manage holding two silverbacks(Kibabu and (soon) Kibali) and three fast growing adolescent males until then.
Orana have a new website and there is this info on the gorillas Orana Wildlife Park Gorilla Project | Orana Wildlife Park
Bachelor group of 3? I would assume that it is now going to be Fataki and Fuzu (still at Taronga, off display) and Mahale (now at Mogo).
This has already been posted and discussed here: https://www.zoochat.com/community/posts/786061, but I'm also adding it to this thread for continuity: Story here: Three new gorillas for Orana Park | Stuff.co.nz
Here is a picture of the planned indoor accomodation: Click here for the full size image I don't mind functional architecture but this looks like it was modelled on an open plan office at a call centre with that ceiling and carpeting.
Video about the gorillas (which shows how Fataki is silvering up nicely since I last saw him): Orana Park prepares for NZ's first gorillas | TVShows | 3 News BTW I love how the presenters pronounce "Taronga" (as if it were a Maori name) haha
Thanks Jabiru. I thought it must be him as he's the only other one available. But this development has been delayed for some while now so wasn't sure if there had been further changes to the intended group composition.
The gorillas have arrived - see here: http://www.zoochat.com/17/gorillas-arrive-new-zealand-419626/#post895409
Jeez Fataki has gotten big! The enclosure is a bit disappointing in that it is a pit and seems a bit 'bland' (there only seems to be a climbing structure and no plantings.....it actually reminds me of the one at Jersey), however I would be happy to be proven wrong.
I feel the same, for the amount of money spent I'd have expected more- much less was spent on the chimpanzee exhibits at Monarto and Rockhampton and just going from the video, this doesn't look nearly as good. Looking forward to seeing photos of the exhibit to get a better idea. Fataki really has shot up!
The main difference between Monarto or Rockhampton and Christchurch is temperature. The winters are pretty cold in Christchurch and snow does close Orana on occasion. I'd say most of the budget went on the house, and hopefully that's been done very well. The outside does look very traditional and functional, but they may not have completed plantings yet (might not have been worth transplanting larger shrubs or similar at this time of year?). It does look like a very European style exhibit currently.
