Orana Wildlife Park Gorillas Coming to NZ

Gorilla Update

Seems the plans are still on, which is excellent news.

Story: Gorillas in our midst | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Orana Wildlife Park is drawing up plans for a new $2million animal enclosure to cope with its latest arrivals - three male gorillas.

New Zealand's first band of gorillas are on track to arrive at the zoo by March 2015.

The star of the show is 210kg male Kibabu, a giant silverback Western Lowland Gorilla, said to have the strength of 11 men.

The current leader of the pack at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, he will be joined by two of his blackback sons, Fataki, 9, and Fuzu, 5, who will cross the Tasman Sea with him in what Orana bosses say will give quaked-out Cantabs a much-needed boost.

"We're very excited, and proud, to bring a first for New Zealand to Christchurch, because my goodness, people here need something to look forward to,'' chief executive Lynn Anderson says.

News that the gorilla programme has not been derailed by the earthquakes, which hit the zoo hard, will be especially welcomed by staff, and the public, after the death of beloved giraffe, Harold, earlier this year.

The popular park is already designing its state-of-the-art gorilla habitat, located by the white rhinos enclosure.

An architect is already drawing up plans, while satellite imaging on site has been done to come up with a large outdoor area to replicate the undulated African jungle.

"They are highly intelligent primates. A lot of thought and expertise needs to be put in to ensuring that their lives are really interesting,'' Ms Anderson says.

A night-den and interior dayroom, both heated to a constant 24 degrees Celsius to withstand the Canterbury winters, will let them chose whether they want to stay inside or out.

It will be surrounded by water moats and visitors will get close up with glass viewing platforms.

Orana Wildlife Park, a charitable trust, has also started fundraising to bring the trio here.

On top of the $2m price-tag to build the enclosure, and transport them here, it will cost around $100,000-a-year to keep them.

But Ms Anderson says they will be worth the investment.

"When February struck, we largely lost our international and domestic visitors, and it's been tough.

"But we're coming out the other end and we believe the gorillas will help encourage tourism back to Canterbury.''

Kibabu arrived at Taronga Zoo in 1996 from Holland, and has since fathered 14 offspring.

Orana is confident they will provide the best home possible. Around six months before Kibabu and his sons arrive, the staff will be given in-depth training on how to handle the massive animals, and sent abroad to study how other facilities operate.

An experienced gorilla keeper from Taronga will travel over with the gorillas and help them settle into their new Christchurch home, staying for four to six weeks to ensure a smooth transition.
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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.
 
Project is still happening according to the park latest update via Facebook

There is just one word on the lips of our team at the moment...GORILLAS!!!

Exhibit ideas have been drawn up and excited staff are milling over the plans at the moment. WHOOHOO...what great times ahead!!!

We are still on track for our new awesome hairy boys to arrive in 2015
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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.
 
Jabiru96 said:
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.
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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 staff members are delighted to report that we are embarking upon the most ambitious project in Orana’s 36 year history – to construct a habitat for the Critically Endangered Western Lowland Gorilla. This project will bring the first ever group of gorillas to New Zealand – these magnificent animals have never been displayed in the country!

This project was initially due for completion in 2013. However the Christchurch earthquakes had a dramatic impact on Orana Wildlife Trust, as they did for everyone in our region. Aside from reduced visitation and income at Orana, the earthquakes resulted in all capital projects being temporarily halted and this included the Gorilla Project. However, we are delighted to report that the project is back on track again and the following has been achieved:

A bund (stopbank) has been cleared to allow access for construction.
Exhibit plans are well advanced (by our architect) and we hope to have them available soon.
Satellite imaging of the site has been completed to map contours as the design of the outside exhibit area is just as important as the design for the housing area.

Orana will initially hold a bachelor group of three gorillas. The animals currently live at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and are set for transfer to Orana in early 2015. These animals will be transferred to the Park as part of the international zoo-based breeding programme for gorillas. The project will enable visitors to see one of the world’s most impressive primates!

The Park will develop an innovative habitat for these mighty animals. The gorillas will have a large indoor playroom, a big outdoor grassed area and visitors will have the opportunity to view them across water moats and through glass barriers. The habitat will be constructed at the Western end of the Park, meaning power will be added to that area. This will enable many future exhibits to be completed nearby.

Gorillas will have an immensely positive impact on Orana Wildlife Park. The animals will significantly enhance the Park experience and provide us with many new opportunities, especially for our formal education programmes, as gorillas are totally different to anything else displayed at the Park. Due to the popularity of the animals, this project also has the potential of being an attraction for the Christchurch and Canterbury region.

The project budget for the Gorilla Habitat is $2 million. Orana Wildlife Park is a not-for-profit organisation and we must separately fundraise for all capital projects. If you are interested in supporting this project please contact us or download a donation form. You can help bring one of the world’s most impressive primates to Christchurch!
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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

Gorillas and orangutans will move to New Zealand from across the ditch to take up residence in a Christchurch zoo.

Orana Wildlife Park will next year take on three gorilla brothers previously housed at Taronga Zoo, in Sydney.

Orana chief executive Lynn Anderson said orangutans from the same zoo would join them about a year later.

Construction of the $6 million Great Ape Centre habitat would start next week and would be finished by March next year, Anderson said.

"Our role will be to raise awareness on the plight of these beautiful animals," she said.

"Threats to gorillas include hunting, disease-related mortality and habitat loss.

"Orang-utans are threatened by logging, wholesale conversion of forest to agricultural land and oil palm plantations [and] poaching for the illegal pet trade."

Anderson said the Great Ape Centre will be the first zoo habitat in New Zealand to house gorillas.

Orana would join international zoo-based breeding programmes for gorillas and orang-utans, she said.

The project also had "immense" educational implications, because the critically endangered species were "totally different to anything else displayed at the park".

Orana is already home to more than 400 animals across about 70 different species.
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Here is a picture of the planned indoor accomodation:

t56n9h.jpg


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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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Jabiru96 said:
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.
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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!
 
soona said:
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!
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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.
 
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