Pairi Daiza is preparing to take a new step in its commitment to the conservation of Western Lowland Gorillas. In the coming months, the Park will welcome a new group formed by the European EEP programme (EAZA Ex Situ Programme), with the ambition of actively contributing to the reproduction of this endangered species.

To enable this new phase, three of the gorillas currently housed at the Park – Shomari (18 years old, arrived in 2016), Gasira (16 years old, arrived in 2022) and Uzuri (17 years old, arrived in 2022) – will leave Pairi Daiza. Visitors can say their goodbyes until 15 May.

These transfers are decided as part of the European EEP programme, under the supervision of the international species coordinator. The three gorillas move to Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam.

Refurbishment of a volcano to welcome the new group

One of the two iconic volcanoes in The Land of Origins, Pairi Daiza’s world dedicated to the beauty of Africa, will be redeveloped to accommodate this new group in optimal conditions.

During this period, Tebogo and Indigo will continue to live peacefully within their own territory, the second volcano.

Yiling Wang, Acting Head Primate Keeper, reflects on the relationship built with Shomari and the females over the years:

“With Shomari, we have shared beautiful years, and I personally have developed a very close relationship with him. In 2021, he clearly did not get along well with the two other males in their living group, so we worked with the studbook keeper to find a new balance and got permission to introduce him to Uzuri and Gasira. He has a gentle nature and likes to observe. The introduction with Tebogo and Indigo was difficult because Tebogo, who was hand-raised, lacks some of the behavioural codes of gorillas. The introduction with Uzuri and Gasira also took some time, but as we can see now, the group gets along well. Although Shomari slightly takes advantage of his leadership position to usually get the tastiest food. Such an introduction process takes time, patience and lots of observation: first, the animals get to know each other backstage through smell, sound and sight. Only when everything feels right, we do bring the different animals together in one room. Today, we see that, step by step, they have found a healthy cohabitation. Above all, we wish this group at their new destinations the same peace, harmony and rapport that has warmed so many hearts of our visitors until now”.

The Western lowland gorilla: A Critically Endangered species requiring international cooperation

The Western lowland gorilla is one of the largest surviving primates and lives in close family groups, usually led by one dominant male gorilla: the silverback. This impressive leader is larger and stronger than the females, growing up to 1.80 metres tall and weighing almost 200 kilograms. His distinctive grey hair on his back appears as he matures. Around him lives a family of females and young of different ages, from infants to young adults.

Gorillas also reproduce extremely slowly, which makes them especially vulnerable. A female only reaches maturity after about eight years and usually gives birth to one young after a gestation period of nine months. As there are often several years between births, populations recover only very slowly.

This is precisely why the species’ situation is particularly worrying. Deforestation, poaching and deadly diseases such as malaria and especially Ebola have hit the populations hard. Western lowland gorillas are found in almost all protected areas and many of the logging concessions in their range; they can persist at high densities in well-managed logging concessions (Morgan et al. 2013). ​ Strindberg et al. (2018) produced the first range-wide estimate for the subspecies, giving a total population in 2013 of 361,919 (302,973-460,093). Their numbers declined by 19.4% between 2005 and 2013, corresponding to an annual loss of approximately 2.7% (ibid.). By the end of 2018, numbers declined by a further 13.5% to roughly 316,000 individuals.

The departure of Shomari, Gasira and Uzuri marks an emotional but important step within the international cooperation between zoological institutions. Their move will contribute to the long-term management of the Western lowland gorilla population in Europe, while Pairi Daiza prepares to welcome a new group in optimal conditions. Through these coordinated movements, habitat improvements and continued participation in the EEP programme, Pairi Daiza reaffirms its commitment to the conservation and breeding of one of the world’s most threatened great apes.