Princess Royal opens new gorilla enclosure

A new state-of-the-art gorilla house has been opened by the Princess Royal.

Jersey Zoo said Princess Anne had been patron of Durrell Wildlife Trust for more than 50 years and unveiled the enclosure during a private visit on Thursday.

Rebecca Brewer, chief executive officer at the trust, said: "This new house represents a major step forward in how we care for endangered species. It was a privilege to welcome our patron, HRH The Princess Royal, to open this important new facility, and we are incredibly grateful for her continued support."

The zoo has been home to western lowland gorillas since November 1959, the same year the wildlife park opened.

It said its first gorilla, N'Pongo, arrived on 22 November and was two years old.

She was the first mammal in the animal records at the zoo, labelled M1, it said.

The new enclosure is nine times larger than the previous one and replaces the existing gorilla facility which opened in 1981.

A zoo spokesperson said the house had two large indoor viewing spaces, eight dens, dedicated training and weighing areas, and systems to control the temperature and humidity.

It said the space had been designed to encourage the gorillas' natural behaviour, with deep bark chip flooring for foraging, climbing structures, and ropes and platforms for movement and play.

Mark Habben, director of zoo operations, said: "This is about looking ahead, creating spaces that reflect our welfare focus, giving animals the flexibility and space they need to thrive."

The development of the house had been supported in part by public fundraising, including the 2019 Go Wild Gorillas trail, which raised more than £1.1m. alongside donations from the Government of Jersey Fiscal Fund, individuals, businesses and trusts.

The public opening of the gorilla house would be on a phased basis from 5 May, the zoo said.

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