These are great pics of the gorillas at BZG in the 90's. This was when I first started at a volunteer at the zoo (1994) and I spent many hours in the old ape house so brings back some good memories for me. thanks
Even though Gorilla Island is a much nicer enclosure for the gorillas, I still enjoyed seeing them in the old ape house. The indoor area seemed very peaceful. I visited a lot in the 90s and on one of my visits, I saw Diana with Nadia just a few weeks before Nadia died, and I was really shocked to read the news in a national newspaper. I also never saw Daniel or Jason again.
I felt that Daniel had certain characteristics that were very much like his mother Delilah. I found him fascinating to watch.
These pics bring back happy memories of the Bristol Zoo of old, its amazing that this space now houses small mammals! when working with the current group on gorilla island i always think what it would of been like to work in the gorillas in the old ape house
You are very lucky to be able to work with the gorillas (especially now, with the youngsters). I know Mike Colbourne had a special relationship with the gorillas of old, and I have pictures of him with Diana and Nadia.
When the ape house was being transformed into Twilight World, I managed to keep tabs on what happened to all the gorillas, but I have often wondered where the orangs were sent. Can you enlighten me please?
hello:
i believe that some of the orangs went to a zoo in spain and maybe chester?? im also sure theres a thread of what happened to them on this site somewhere...
I saw Diana with Nadia just a few weeks before Nadia died, and I was really shocked to read the news in a national newspaper. I also never saw Daniel or Jason again.
I felt that Daniel had certain characteristics that were very much like his mother Delilah. I found him fascinating to watch.
I was at the zoo the day Nadia died, so I saw it all happen....
Daniel was a very impressive male. He died only two months after the date of this photo. He had some sort of attack and suddenly dropped dead in front of the visitors. Apart from Salome(his halfsister) he has one other relative now at Kolmarden Zoo, Sweden- this is Nasibu,the son of his sister Naomi.
Thank you for the information, Pertinax. It must have been very distressing to be at the zoo when Nadia died. She was so young. Daniel was an amazing gorilla. I felt really hollow when I heard that he'd died.
It's nice to know where the orangs went, as I had watched them in the ape house almost as much as the gorillas!!
Daniel was super-duper, a very impressive male. I never found out exactly why he died but it was something like a coronary I think. I know it was during opening hours. He was outside and fell over then managed to get back indoors and just collapsed there and died.
The male 'Nasibu' at Kolmaden who is his 'nephew' looks very like him I think.
