Gorilla Gorgo: Last journey into the jungle, Rostock Zoo honors his legacy!

Gorilla Gorgo: Last journey into the jungle, Rostock Zoo honors his legacy!

In the last few days everything in Rostock revolved around a very special occasion: the opening of the newly designed Africa room of the Zoological Collection at the University of Rostock. This happened on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the collection, and one prominent exhibit should not be missing: Gorilla Gorgo. Gorgo, born in 1981 at Krefeld Zoo, died in September 2024 at Rostock Zoo and has now been included as a specimen in the newly designed exhibition.

On October 25th, the open day, numerous visitors flocked to the Zoological Institute to see the impressive new piece. Long queues formed in front of the door, such was the interest in the presentation of Gorgo, which is now part of the city's zoological history. Preparing the gorilla was a laborious process that took 500 to 600 hours of work, and the costs were covered by a generous donation of the annual diet. Incidentally, Gorgo is an exception because no great apes are normally included in the collection.

A look at the historical collection

The zoological collection of the University of Rostock can look back on a long history. It was founded in 1775 by Oluf Gerhard Tychsen and is considered one of the oldest of its kind. Among the thousands of specimens is the oldest exhibit, a boxfish from 1735. The collection is not only dedicated to the presentation of animals, but also serves scientific teaching.

In addition to Gorgo, special exhibits include the arrow stork and the skeleton of the elephant Sara. The animals for the collection often come from circuses and zoos, which underlines the connection between education and research. This practice is part of a larger tradition that can also be seen in the history of zoos in Germany. Newly opened zoos in the 19th century focused on education and scientific standards, and these topics are still very popular today.

Modern zoos are changing

Modern zoological institutions, such as those of the VdZ, have a clear focus on recreation, education, research and nature conservation. The philosophy has constantly developed over the years - away from traditional cages towards natural enclosures that offer the animals better living conditions. Innovative forms of operation such as safari parks and walk-in monkey parks complement the offering and attract millions of visitors every year.

The Zoological Collection at the University of Rostock continues to plan to expand its exhibits. Further donations are currently needed to finance the dissection of a deceased male orangutan named Ejde. Such initiatives show that the commitment to animal and nature conservation is at the heart of zoological work and that the combination of research and education at schools and universities remains an essential goal.

So the spirit of Gorgo will live on not only in the exhibition, but also as part of a larger movement calling for animal awareness and protection - a responsibility we all share.

For anyone interested, the Zoological Collection is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A visit is definitely worth it!

More information about Gorgo and the collection can be found in the articles from Northern Courier and Mirror. You can also read the history of zoos and their development here vdz-zoos.org read up.