Alladin is 10! - 25.07.2008

Loro Parque celebrates the 10th birthday of the gorilla Alladin

The primate, who cames from the Israeli zoo named Tel Aviv-Ramat, enjoyed a cake of fruits and vegetables                                                                                                                                              

Loro Parque celebrated the 10th birthday of Alladin, one of the gorillas that came from the Israeli zoo Tel Aviv- Ramat Gan, 3 years ago to join the group of gorillas that lives in Loro Parque. To celebrate the day, the veterinarian and keepers of this mammal have paid tribute to the primate with his favourite plate of fruit and vegetables, like celery, broccoli, carrot, green and red peppers, which has been prepared in the form of a cake.

Alladin and Leon, enjoyed the cake with interest, they arrived at Loro Parque in September 2005, and his introduction to the group of the 5 male gorillas has been made in a gradual and successful format. This experience is part of The European Programme of Species In Danger.

The programme organises and coordinates the movements of the animals between the different institutes with the aim of creating social and reproductive groups, recreating social structures, as known in the nature.

The gorillas live in communities composed normally of an adult male, some females and young. When the young males of a particular group arrive at their sexual maturity, generally, they have to leave their group or face the leader of the clan, named “ silverback”. During this period several young are used to make temporary little groups with males of a similar situation, until they have the chance to create their own group.

Up to now, the surplus of the male gorillas derived from the young brought up in captivity, have created a problem for all the zoo´s of the world. This is why in 1992, Loro Parque decided to contribute solutions to this situation, and create a group of single males adopting the same social strategy.