Prague has increased the budget for the planned gorilla pavilion to 121 million

Prague - The council of the capital city approved an increase in the budget for the new gorilla pavilion at the zoo by half. Instead of the originally planned 80 million last year, it is expected to cost 121 million crowns including VAT. This was reported by ČTK based on the material discussed by the council today. The decision to build a new pavilion was made after repeated damage to the existing one due to floods; the new one is to be located in the upper part of the garden, which will not be threatened by high water.
      The increase in the budget is justified by the expansion of the plan from just the pavilion and outdoor enclosures to a complex of several buildings and the construction of access paths from the giraffe pavilion and a bridge from the newly constructed elephant and hippo pavilion, which cost 500 million crowns. "Moreover, the zoo wants to open another entrance to the garden at the planned gorilla pavilion with a stop for public transport buses," the document available to ČTK states.
      The new pavilion is expected to have a larger area than the original; next to the large gorilla family, there should also be space for another smaller group. The zoo wants to prepare for the time when it will be necessary to assemble a new breeding group and is also considering creating a small group of male gorillas.
      The new pavilion is also supposed to be better for visitors, who will be able to view the gorillas from a tiered seating area. Other animals will move into the old pavilion. "The existing pavilion was built between 2000 and 2001 in the lowest part of the zoo and it is completely impossible to sufficiently protect it from floods," the document states.
      Floods affected the pavilion in 2002 and again in 2013. During the flooding in 2002, it was necessary to evacuate the animals, and they were temporarily housed at the ZOO in Dvůr Králové for several months. Last year, the gorillas survived the flood in a raised tower. "This situation is unsustainable for the future, as both options represent a huge stress burden for the animals," the document continues.
      This year, Prague wants to announce and evaluate an architectural competition as the investor, with project completion and construction start planned for next year. It is expected to be finished in 2016. For last year and this year, 3.4 million crowns are allocated for the construction of the new pavilion, next year 35 million crowns are planned from the city's budget, and the zoo will contribute another 15 million. The remaining 65.6 million crowns is planned for 2016.
      The capital does not want to contribute to investments in the lower part of the garden, where pavilions may be threatened by high water. This year, the Velemlokarium was opened in this part for 23.6 million crowns. In case of high water, the zoo wants to relocate the giant salamanders to the upper part of the area and allow the pavilion to be deliberately flooded with water that would flow through open doors filled with sandbags. This way, the water would be cleaner, which would simplify the damage disposal afterwards.
      Last year, elephants and hippos were already relocated from the flood zone. Their new pavilion in the upper part of the garden, named the Valley of Elephants, cost 500 million crowns. In the former enclosure of these large mammals, a children's area with play structures was opened in July this year.