The Prague Zoo is expecting a new male gorilla. “My story will continue at the Prague Zoo,” says director Bobek
“The current issue for us is to get Kisumu out of Austria as soon as possible,” explains the director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek.
“It is necessary for me to get used to going to the transport box. It’s a bit complicated by the fact that in Schmiding the pavilion is atypical, it has narrow passages, so now we have to have the box made. We hope that around the middle of August – if everything goes well – Kisumu will come to Prague,” he explains the transfer procedure.
Kisumu and the gorilla daughter Moji
“First, he will be placed in a separate area from our group in the new pavilion, the female Duni should be there with him. That is the most important thing,” the director on the fact that Kisumu could become the father of up to two offspring.
“In 2011, we transported our first-born gorilla in the Czech Republic, Moja, as an adult female, to Cabárcena, Spain, where she had a daughter, Duni. And it is Duni who will come to the new pavilion together with Kisum. So Moja’s story will continue at the Prague Zoo,” smiles Miroslav Bobek.
The first meeting was not the most friendly
How did Kisumu react to the first meeting with the breeders from Prague who came to see him? “You know, we were also accompanied by the director of the Schmiding Zoo, who is also a veterinarian. And animals generally have bad experiences with veterinarians, they react to them like children react to a white coat,” explains the director cautiously.
Kisumu male was born in 1997 in Munich, he was raised by his parents Sonja and Roututa, and at the age of seven he was moved to Schmiding, Austria, where he still lives in a youth group. Unlike Richard, whose line is already so-called over-represented and therefore cannot have any more cubs, Kisumu has a much better ranking and should become the father of two offspring in the near future.
Source: Miroslava Bobek’s Facebook
“Kisu seemed very angry. The reaction may have been triggered by the cameras we had with us, so the first meeting wasn’t exactly the friendliest, but after that it was fine,” he adds.
Richard’s separation
The original gorilla group was split by breeders in July. The male Richard and his growing sons Nuru and Kiburi stayed in the old pavilion at the bottom of the garden. The rest of the troop – females Kamba, Shindu, Kijiva and the youngest male Ajabu – were moved by the keepers to the new pavilion, which the Prague Zoo plans to open on September 28. So they have a few months to get used to the new environment.
“Richard has been coping with the separation for weeks, staying in the original pavilion with his two adult sons. There was no way they could stay. And surprisingly, he manages it quite well,” Bobek describes.
“We didn’t expect it to go so well. Maybe it has to do with the fact that he is very conservative. In a way, it could be worse for him to leave his home and go somewhere unknown. Now he has stayed where he is used to and has at least part of his family there,” explains Prague Zoo director Miroslav Bobek.
Reservation Dja
The new gorilla pavilion is located at the top of the garden and is designed to give you the experience of a journey through Cameroon. In addition to lowland gorillas, they will be able to view the exhibition of giant hamsters and brown bats, African wasps or northern talapoins. The group of male gorillas will be accompanied by the Brazzo cats, the family group of gorillas led by the new male Kisumu will be complemented by the cape guerez.
Along with the pavilion, which will be called the Dja Reserve, a new entrance to the zoo area should also start serving visitors.