THE APE ESCAPE
Animals in zoo fire lured to safety with help of bananas
KEEPERS lured six orangutans, four gibbons and 18 macaques away from the flames at Chester Zoo with the help of tempting bananas, it emerged last night.
As the fire took hold in the roof of the Monsoon Forest building on Saturday, visitors were evacuated before the primates were enticed out of danger.
Once the animals were safely in the open-air part of the enclosures, the doors were closed, stopping them returning.
Once the flames were put out, the animals were moved to a warmer space to keep them out of the icy December rain.
Rare crocodiles in another part of the complex kept safe by staying underwater. Director of collections Mike Jordan said: ‘I am proud of the way the fire service worked with our animals team.
‘As soon as they had ensured the building was empty of humans, they were equally passionate about saving the lives of the animals.’
Other mammals and larger birds were also saved. However, chief operating officer Jamie Christon said he was ‘devastated’ not to have been able to save insects, frogs, fish and small birds located near to the seat of the blaze.
The zoo reopened yesterday, with the exception of the £40million Islands area which the damaged building was part of.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said it believed the fire was accidental.