This day in mid-August, a month full of tourists, surprises park visitors with a very special celebration.

Two years ago today Virunga was born, in public view the little gorilla fruit of the important international program of campaigns “ex situ” (EEP) of this species in which BIOPARC Valencia participates very actively. Gorillas are one of the species with greatest threat of extinction and are classified as “critically endangered” (Critically Endangered) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), so a birth is always news of hope and a cause for celebration for the preservation of biodiversity.

The enclosure of the gorilla breeding group appeared this morning decorated with garlands, surprise gifts and a huge and delicious birthday cake for the little gorilla Virunga who turns 2 years old and who has shared it with her family: her brothers Ebo and Pepe, her father Mambie, her mother Nalani and females Ali and Fossey.

The BIOPARC team wanted to commemorate this milestone and has surprised to the gorilla family with an authentic "Birthday Party" in which the decoration with colorful garlands, surprise gifts and a giant and appetizing birthday cake. The enormous two-tier cake contained their favorite foods, fruits and vegetables, and was decorated with jellies and, exceptionally, cream. The large audience that had attended the celebration was able to witness the amazement of the family of primates when they left and how they all enjoyed this special day. The brothers Ebo, 5 years old, and Pepe, only 5 months old, along with Virunga have been the protagonists of the party, but also the adults Mambie, the imposing silverback male and parent, and the females Fossey, Ali and Nalani, have tasted the succulent food. An image that has excited and moved visitors and has been an authentic experience that they will remember and share on social networks.

Virunga.

The “birthday girl” gets her name from the mountains Virunga, an emblematic place for gorillas where primatologist Dian Fossey developed her work, bringing this wonderful species to us thanks to the book and film “Gorillas in the Mist”. In this sense, BIOPARC Valencia is not only committed to its conservation ex situ, it is also in the campaigns in situ through BIOPARC Foundation that participates in the EBO project, which gave its name to the first gorilla born in the Valencian Community and that fights to preserve a small and valuable forest in Cameroon where a group of gorillas lives that are at serious risk of extinction.