Giardino Zoologico, circa 1985

gorilla Bongo (father of Romina, now at Bristol) with keeper Romano Zandri

This exhibit is probably the uggliest and most awfull Gorilla prison I have ever seen. It contains only concrete and iron and just a little sunlight. It surely existed until the 90ies and I deeply hope that it is now bulldozerd.

By the way: In the 1980s and early 1990s such awfull exhibits were standard in Italian Zoos (specially those in the larger cities). No wonder many have closed. And no wonder Zoo exhibitry in Italy was miles/centuries away from other European Countries. Fortunately many things have changed into better, also in the Giardino Zoologico di Roma (after a British Director was hired and showed how it works). But Italy is still not a "Zoo Land".

I prefer not to reply to such a strongly based (and biased) opinion

There is no must.

(Although I wonder what you mean with "biased". If I wrote a point which is proofed as wrong, I would correct it).

Interesting photo as I've never seen any pictures of this male before.

I have never been to an Italian zoo. Never even been to Italy. Even so, I cannot resist coming to the defence of Italy a bit by saying that similar cages and even worse existed all over Europe in those years and still do.

I did no tours in Europe in the 1980s; back then I was more occupied with my sandbox, playmobil and other toys; but since I started visiting zoos in Europe in the 2000s, I have seen this and worse many times, even if, as I said, I've never been to Italy.

Over-emotional statements are not the reason why I love Zoochat so much. We should try to avoid statements like this one against a particular country or zoo.

@Baldur:

I respect your opinion and just let me say that it was never my intention to anger a person or a nation (I would insult myself in this case, because my grand-grand-mother was pure Napolitanian). I am also agree that there are (mostly smaller) zoos in Western Europe that are as bad or even worser. And there are also bad exhibits in European Top-Zoos. But ALL IN ALL the quality (and even the quantity for a 60 Million Nation) of zoos in Italy is far behind the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Great Britain, Danemark, Czechian Republik or France.

The point is that if anything is wrong, than it should be said. Instead of you I have visited a few Italian zoos and Safariparks (Rome, Pombia, Milan before closing, Parco Natura Viva - the last is indeed not bad) and have close connections to people who have visited other Italian Zoos and Aquarias (and share my opinion). Remember that I remark the efforts of improvements (specially in Rome). But think also about the fact, that in the ratings of "The best zoos in the World" (done by experts and/or journalists) within the last 10 years none of the Italian zoos reached a Top-15 position. A few years ago, I spok with an director of an Italian zoo who said itself that Italy is still far away from being a zoo nation. So it is surely not only my "biased opinion".

If my words were to strong for someone, than sorry for this. But the meaning will be the same.