In association with
Rijnmond
NOS News•today, 5:31 PM
Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam says goodbye to all the gorillas in the park. The monkeys will move to other zoos in the coming years. One of the male gorilla has already moved.
According to the park, one of the reasons for the departure of the western lowland gorillas is that a new leading gorilla man had to be appointed after the death of the best-known gorilla in Blijdorp, Bokito. According to the zoo, it is risky to introduce a new leader, Rijnmond writes.
For example, the new alpha male may kill all of his predecessor’s offspring because he wants space for his own offspring. “That requires difficult choices. This decision has an enormous impact for everyone,” said Blijdorp director Erik Zevenbergen.
World famous
The Blijdorp gorilla group became world famous when gorilla man Bokito broke out in May 2007 and took away a woman who visited him almost daily. Four people were injured. Bokito is the father of all the young gorillas in Blijdorp. The monkey died this spring at the age of 27.
The migration of the African monkeys could take several years. “A suitable new place has already been found for almost all gorillas in the long term,” says Blijdorp.
