A “family photo” with the masks of Mambie, Ali and Ebo representing primates from around the world, has been the symbolic and visible gesture of the “Gorillada”. On the occasion of the 1st birthday of the first gorilla born in the city, Valencian society wanted to draw attention to the “critically endangered” situation in which this species finds itself.
Saturday, October 26, 2013. This morning, since the park opened its doors, families and groups of people who wanted to join the movement have not stopped parading through it. double celebration from BIOPARC Valencia.
On the one hand, today commemorated the primer anniversary of the first Valencian gorilla. At 11am. These “relatives”, with whom we share almost 98% of DNA, came out to the outside enclosure, cautious and curious about the cake and gifts that were waiting for them. The protective and powerful father, Mambie, inspected the boxes and tasted their contents; while her mother, Ali, walked around the premises with baby Ebo on her back. “Auntie” Fossey aroused the admiration of visitors when, sitting next to the cake, she selected her favorite delicacies. Finally Ebo could not resist the temptation to try the sweet cream for the first time and he enjoyed and played with one of his favorite fruits, an apple.
Then at 12 noon. o'clock the first “Gorillada” that has brought together hundreds of people in the spectacular African amphitheater to draw attention to the serious situation where the gorilla population is found. The Smaller have been the true protagonists of the act when They have put themselves in “the skin of the gorillas”, putting on the mask to take the family photo that symbolized everyone's union to “save the gorillas.” In this way, the supportive community of BIOPARC has expressed the need to act to change things. In the last 20 years humans, we have caused almost half of the gorillas disappear and if we continue at the current rate of destruction, it is estimated that in three generations (66 years) the world's gorilla population will have decreased by up to 80%.
In addition, all the children attending have deposited €1 in solidarity in the “gorilla piggy bank” and have encouraged many adults to also collaborate in the Conservation Project that the Bioparc Foundation is taking place in African forests.
The birth of Ebo is a historical event for the city and a success in reproduction at Bioparc. The Valencian institution houses one of the few breeding groups of gorillas that exist and is part of an important Conservation Program at the European level EEP that, with great success, has already achieved that its population it increases 5% annually.
