Visitors to Pairi Daiza will be able to meet, beginning Thursday, Wazungu, a male gorilla aged 14, announced the Hainaut animal park in a communiqué. Wazungu arrived at Pairi Daiza at the beginning of the summer from the Schmiding Zoo in Austria. He will be joined by Dayo and Shomari, who arrived from the Artis Zoo of Amsterdam, once their adaptation period has ended, said the communiqué.
The Gorilla Volcano, a project of over 11 million euros, is the new space of Jardin des mondes (Garden of the Worlds). The space, with an area of 5,000 square metres, is made up of three islands and two volcanoes. The first volcano, where Wazungu is located, will be open on Thursday from 10:30 to 15:00 and from 16:30 to 18:30.
The gorillas come from Central Africa on the Atlantic coast. Numbering close to 100,000 about two decades ago, they are presently considered to be in critical danger of extinction. Essentially herbivores, their food consists mainly of roots, herbs, leaves, and bark, as well as fruits of the season, added Pairi Daiza. The strength of an adult gorilla can equal that of six men.
(Source: Belga)
