Two years after the fire in the Krefeld Zoo: vigil for killed monkeys

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Vigil in front of the Krefeld zoo: behavior contrary to animal welfare?

Photo: Roberto Pfeil / dpa

Two years after the major fire in the Krefeld monkey park, almost 100 animal rights activists have remembered the many dead animals.

About 50 animals died in the 2020 New Year fire, including eight great apes.

Some of the monkeys had lived in the zoo for decades.

The fire was triggered by a sky lantern that landed on the roof of the monkey house during the New Year's fireworks.

In the meantime, the Krefeld Zoo has received the building permit for a temporary outdoor enclosure.

The facility for the chimpanzees Bally and Limbo, which survived the fire, is due to be completed in the first half of 2022.

Bally and Limbo have lived inside the gorilla garden since the night of the fire.

According to the zoo, they are in "excellent mental and physical condition".

That was confirmed by a new report.

The organizers of the vigil see it differently.

They criticize the, in their opinion, anti-welfare behavior of the two chimpanzees in a "locked room".

The vigil was organized by the Great Ape Project, an organization that looks after the living conditions of great apes.

cbu / dpa