1 June 1999 - Update
Jane was traveling from May 9th to 24th, on a trip to visit zoos in Zurich and Basel, Switzerland and St. Martin La Plaine in France, in between the main purpose of the trip: a visit to the Limbe Wildlife Center (LWC) in Cameroon, West Africa. See our new webpage about Limbe and its struggle to survive and the attendant problem of the Bushmeat Crisis. While Jane was away, Steuart and Pete supervised the roughing out of a perimeter road and brush-clearing where Phases 1 and 2 will be. We’re still waiting on a topographic study of the area, so we can pinpoint exactly where the facilities will be and how they will be built, but as some areas are cleared, it’s easier to see how things will look in the not too distant future.
Phase 1 will be a quarantine building with both inside and outside quarters for up to five gorillas. Phase 2 will be designed to hold any gorilla, male or female, in social or individual settings, depending on the need. Phase 3 will be the largest area, for all male social groups. We’re still hoping Phase 1 will be operational by the end of 2000, but we’re working on Phase 2 almost simultaneously, so it should be ready shortly thereafter.