Winding long line-ups of hundreds of people formed at the Joburg Zoo’s entrances on Sunday, 20 March ahead of its 118th birthday bash.
Revellers from across Gauteng made their way to Upper Park Drive in Parkview to enjoy the exciting extravaganza arranged by Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ).
Although there is already much to do at the zoo on a random visit, JCPZ went all out to ensure the occasion was auspicious. The party programme was full of fun activities, dance, comedy, and music during the day, and turned into a perfect sunset outdoor cinema for a movie at night.
Zoo goers laid out colourful blankets and picnic baskets on the neatly cut lawn where the stage for all the entertainers was set up. Walking by all you could hear was laughter and chit-chatting of friends and family enjoying each other’s company in the zoo. The set-up was in a space where the animals were not inconvenienced or harmed in any way.
And who could ignore the tunes of the DJ who set the tone and created a buzzing vibe among all visitors with old-school house music, playing the likes of Afro-Pop heavyweights Mafikizolo’s famous Ngi’Hamba Nawe and millennial songs like Shekinah’s Suited.
Children ran about on the designated lawn freely and busted out some of their favourite dance moves. What a sight it was to witness people coming together and enjoying the rich beauty of the City’s very own recreational Johannesburg Zoo.
Among the visitors was Jessica Langa, a boffin in the arts and crafts space coming from the north of Soweto. When Langa heard about the birthday celebration, as an up-and-coming crafter, she thought it would be the perfect opportunity to display and sell her hand-crafted jewellery to visitors on the day.
“I have been making jewellery for many years, but I have expanded my crafting to include paintings and creating art sculptures with my hands, but due to Covid-19 business has slowed down tremendously,” she said.
However, she says customers were interested in seeing what she had handcrafted, and sales were doing well on the day. She picked the perfect spot to set up her small market, right beside the zoo’s well-known Max the Gorilla statue, which adults and children alike cannot walk past without stopping to read about its story and take a picture-perfect selfie with the life-size legend.
Max the Gorilla came to the Johannesburg Zoo in 1972 as a mere baby from the Frankfurt Zoo in Germany. In 1997, he rose to instant stardom when an alleged armed burglar jumped into his enclosure while trying to escape police capture. Max caught the bad guy but was shot twice in the process. The injured gorilla was treated by the staff of Milpark Hospital.
Max was voted Newsmaker of the Year in 1997 by the Johannesburg Press Club and remained a hero and major attraction at the zoo. Sadly, he died in his sleep in May 2004 due to congestive heart and renal failure, sure signs of old age in gorillas.
Little Kurhula Mabasa and her friend Mokgethwa Kubheka couldn’t contain their excitement as they jumped up and down, yelling to take a picture with Max. “I love the zoo and all animals. One day, when I grow up, I would like to be a zookeeper to see the animals every day,” said Mabasa.
Kubheka added that it’s important to go to school to learn about animals if you want to work at a zoo. “My favourite part is seeing all the animals and eating the food from the shops,” he said.
Also in attendance was High Care Emergency Service’s basic life support officer, Sandile Mtande, who said the health and safety of all visitors would be taken care of. His colleague, Queen Baloyi, mentioned that no injuries had been reported and that even while they were on duty, it was a lovely day to be in the presence of all the elated visitors.
The Joburg Zoo was established in 1904 with a mere 200 acres of land and an animal collection of no more than 10 species, which included one lion, one leopard, one giraffe, two Sable antelope bulls, one baboon, one genet, one pair of Rhesus monkeys, one pair of porcupines, and one golden eagle.
Today, the zoo spans 55 hectares of land and houses over 320 animal species and approximately 2 000 animals, including critically endangered species like the Pickersgill Reed Frog and others.
If you missed out on the major party, the Joburg Zoo will continue celebrating its birthday for the rest of March. If your birthday falls within this month, the zoo is offering you free access; don’t forget to bring proof of your identification to gain free entry.
The Joburg Zoo complies with all Covid-19 regulations; all visitors must wear their masks, practice social distancing, and always sanitise. Don’t hesitate to visit; there’s an animal at the zoo waiting just to see you.
Written by Sascha-Lee Joseph
22/03/2022