Blackpool Zoo responds to ‘boycott’ call over its gorillas and orangutans
Blackpool Zoo has defended keeping great apes in captivity - warning that some of those in its care otherwise face extinction.
The attraction was responding to the launch of a campaign by wildlife charity Born Free, which has called for the phasing out of the practice.
The organisation says the animals “deserve the jungle, not jail” - and is urging people not to visit any of the 19 UK zoos, including Blackpool, that house the likes of gorillas and orangutans.
It has published a report which claims apes in captivity suffer from a lack of space, unnatural environments, captivity-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.
According to Born Free, the dossier also “busts the myth that keeping and breeding great apes in zoos has meaningful conservation or education benefits – they are typically bred for display, entertainment, and financial gain”, it says.
However, Blackpool Zoo - one of whose enclosures is what it describes as the “very natural surroundings” of Gorilla Mountain - says it is focused on protecting ape species living in the wild, while giving a good life to the individual animals it looks after.
A spokesperson for the zoo said: "We fully support the continued evolution of best practice in the welfare of all animals. Bornean orangutans and Western lowland gorillas, which we care for here at Blackpool Zoo, are critically endangered.
"Despite years of conservation efforts the numbers continue to decline and the threats they face are not improving, they are getting worse. Extinction is not just a possibility, it is a fast-approaching reality for many populations.
"Accredited and well managed zoos play a vital role in education and awareness as well as funding global conservation efforts. We remain committed to giving the apes under our care the best possible lives while helping secure a future for their wild relatives."