May 3, 2006 5:34 pm US/Central
Dallas Zoo Re-Opens Gorilla Exhibit
by Deborah Takahara
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
The Dallas Zoo is almost finished with a $2 million renovation.
On Wednesday, for the first time in 2 years, since Jabari the gorilla escaped and attacked several people, visitors were able to look at the gorilla exhibit.
This is the first time the animals have been let loose in 6 months. They had been inside while the renovation project was underway.
"It's taken us a long time to do it," said Dallas Zoo director Rich Buickerood. "It's been under construction for two years."
"I never thought it was unsafe to begin with. I think it was a freak accident," said Kim Vance, a zoo visitor.
Regardless, the zoo made changes just to be safe.
"Jabari did an extraordinary thing," said Chuck Siegel with Dallas Zoo Animal Management. "What we've done is to be on the safer side and increase the height of the walls and increase the distance."
The walls are now all at least 15 feet tall with a wire around the top. The exhibit also features several boulders, what some are calling "gorilla speed bumps."
said, "It's also an opportunity for us to cut down on running lanes so young ambitious gorillas can't get a head of speed and make another phenomenal jump like a couple years ago."
Even the youngest visitors have noticed the changes. Jessica Skelton, one little girl enjoying the Dallas Zoo on Wednesday, said, "There's no possible way for them to get out. There's no way because a bunch of people have been working here and they've been working so hard and no animals will get out and everyone can be safe."
Half of the gorilla exhibit is open to the public now. The other half will open next month.
(CBS 11 News)
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