The Valencian park is home to the largest group of drills in Spain and has added two males to reinforce participation in the International Preservation Program (EEP) of this little-known primate.
One of the objectives of BIOPARC is Bringing wild nature closer to society to raise awareness and mobilize for its protection. The biodiversity of our planet is a great treasure and it is essential to make this rich variety of life known. Each species is vital to maintain the fragile natural balance and the Valencian park is home not only to the most popular ones such as elephants, lions or chimpanzees, unfortunately also threatened with extinction, but also some practically unknown ones such as the drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus).
Since its opening 16 years ago, in one of the areas that recreates the impassable tropical forests, people who visit BIOPARC are surprised to see one of the most beautiful areas in which 5 different species coexist.
Here you will find the largest group in Spain with 8 drills and after the death of the male Rafiki who left a descendant of 14 individuals, two males have been incorporated on the recommendation of the International Conservation Program of this species to continue the relevant role of the park in controlled breeding aimed at ensuring its survival.
Since their arrival from the Córdoba Zoo, the specialized team has been working to ensure that the adaptation process was optimal, ensuring the maximum well-being of both The “new” Ruan and Kofi (9 and 7 years old), as well as the cohesive family made up of 6 females: Abuja, 11 years old, Itaka, 8, Muyuka and Moroni, 6, Xena, 5, and Akira, 3 years old.
The alarming loss of population in Africa puts it on the verge of being declared “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List and BIOPARC joins the urgent call from the conservation world to prevent its disappearance.
After overcoming the first stages of acclimatization in the interior areas where they have been able to integrate into the group, recently They are already beginning to get to know the outdoor installation, with the waterfalls, the estuaries and the well-kept vegetation and, especially, to interact with other species (sitatungas, pygmy hippos, talapoins and Nile goose), just as they would in their original habitat. It should be noted that BIOPARC's characteristic multi-species enclosures are especially beneficial in promoting the animals' natural behaviour., as they provide continuous environmental enrichment and allow them to interact and establish hierarchies among themselves.
With an estimated population of just 4.000 individuals and an alarming downward trend, its status of "endangered" may become “critically endangered” on the IUCN red list (International Union for Conservation of Nature) if there is no global and urgent action. This same institution highlighted the The essential work of parks to maintain healthy populations under human care and BIOPARC's commitment in this regard is total.
Similarly, the BIOPARC Foundation acts in biodiversity hotspots within its in situ conservation actions protecting the habitat of denim through various projects in which it participates in Africa.
