Amsterdam- Blijdorp zoo will build an extra fence between the ape island and the visitors area in Rotterdam zoo, zoo officials said Wednesday. Blijdorp would implement "several extra measures" to prevent future break-outs like that of gorilla Bokito last Friday, zoo officials said during a press conference Wednesday.
The fence will be made of glass or wood. A wooden fence would have holes for visitors to look through.
All gorillas will remain in their indoor enclosure until the new safety measures have been implemented. Zoo officials said they would also change the glass wall of the primates' indoor enclosure.
Under the current arrangements, visitors can approach the glass up to 20 centimetres. The zoo wants to broaden that to 1,20 metres.
The zoo is also considering the partial or complete replacement of the glass wall of the indoor ape area with a mirror wall. This would enable visitors to look at the primates but make it impossible for the gorillas to see the visitors.
Meanwhile legislator Esther Ouwehand of the Dutch Animal Party, PvdD, called upon the Minister of Agriculture Gerda Verburg (Christian Democrats) to prohibit zoos from keeping primates.
"This will prevent incidents like that with Bokito", said Ouwehand, whose Animal Party succeeded to get two seats in the Dutch parliament for the first time during last November's elections.
On Tuesday a family who was present in the zoo last Friday with their two children aged 1 and 3, said it had sued Blijdorp for emotional distress.
The family took refuge in the restaurant after gorilla Bokito jumped off his island on Friday. They were then forced to flee again when gorilla Bokito forced his way into the restaurant. The family did not sustain any physical injuries. The parents say their 3-year- old son was emotionally affected by the incident.
A woman, who sustained the most serious physical injuries after Bokito attacked her, did not disclose yet whether she would file a suit against Blijdorp. Earlier this week her husband hinted at that possibility.
