Zoos around the world have an important role to play in the preservation of this unique and iconic species. The increasing threats to Gorilla populations in the wild mean that zoo animals play an important ambassadorial role - raising awareness and connecting people with the grave issues that impact upon their wild cousins.

In the past decade the world has seen the classification of Gorillas decline from ‘Vulnerable' to ‘Endangered' and in 2007 Gorillas were classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as ‘Critically Endangered'.

The greatest threats to Gorillas in the wild are commercial hunting, habitat degradation and the deadly Ebola virus that has been causing massive die-offs since the early 1990s.

In 1973, Melbourne Zoo welcomed its first Western Lowland Gorillas ‘Rigo' and ‘Yuska' and since then the Gorilla has leant itself as the flagship species for the Zoo. Today, Melbourne Zoo is home to two Gorilla groups housed in separate facilities - a family of adult Gorillas comprising the genetically valuable male Rigo and four females, and a bachelor group comprising a ‘retired' breeding male and his two male progeny. This group is referred to as our ‘Males-in-Waiting' and these boys now require Zoos Victoria to take a significant step to meet their fast-developing needs.

In the wild as juvenile males mature into adulthood they eventually challenge the dominant male in the group for supremacy. Our young males at Melbourne Zoo are approaching this age where new dominating behaviours are emerging. In the wild these issues are resolved by males leaving their family group and forming loose associations with other young adult males. In a zoo environment they are effectively dealt with by providing animals with larger, more complex, facilities and more space.

Zoos Victoria has a vision for the Males-in-Waiting that involves a move ‘out West' to Werribee Open Range Zoo where there is space available to accommodate the ever-changing needs of the male group. The new public display Gorilla habitat will be a huge 10,000m2 sanctuary that features wide-open spaces, climbing structures and indoor facilities. It will be the first stage in a $25 million jungle precinct.

The Gorilla Sanctuary at Werribee Open Range Zoo will facilitate research activities and enable Zoos Victoria to respond to the regional breeding needs of the European Endangered species Program for Gorillas. Since the 1970s, six Gorillas have been born at Melbourne Zoo, including Mzuri - the second Gorilla to be conceived via artificial insemination anywhere in the world.

Once operational, this new Gorilla facility at Werribee will enable Zoos Victoria to provide best-practice care for the Bachelor Gorillas and confirm the organisation's reputation as a world leader in Gorilla management.

The Zoos Victoria Foundation would like to invite you to be a part of this important stage in the lives of our ‘males-in-waiting'.

If you would like to contribute to this exciting project, please contact the Foundation Team.

		Gorillas in the West zvf_gorilla.pdf  ( 129.7 KB ) Summary document about the exciting project to re-house our gorillas