Sprout-fed gorillas kick up stink

The western lowland gorillas are in a breeding group at Chessington

A festive treat had to be taken off the menu at a Surrey theme park after visitors complained about a band of gorillas who were kicking up a stink.

The western lowland gorillas at Chessington World of Adventures loved their sprouts but the vegetables created a flatulence problem.

"It was pretty bad," said zoo keeper Sonia Freeman. "It wasn't an area to be in if you had a sensitive stomach.

"Some of the customers didn't take too kindly to the smell."

Ms Freeman said gorillas tended to be flatulent at the best of times.

But over the festive period they over-indulged on their veg and the whiff was worse than normal.

The gorillas normally have a diet including sunflower seeds, dog biscuits and grapes.

The food is scattered into the enclosure through the ceiling.

Intelligent animals

"In the wild they would naturally forage and we need to give them something to do," said their keeper.

"They are very intelligent animals and they need to be stimulated.

"Some of them are cheeky enough to come and ask for food but most of them will spend hours picking through the straw - it mimics what they do in the wild."

Chessington's zoo has a breeding group of gorillas led by teenager Damisi, who arrived last summer from Paignton Zoo in Devon.

"He is a magnificent animal but still has a bit of growing to do," said Ms Freeman.

"He came from a bachelor group and is settling in with the girls."

The zoo hopes one of the females may be pregnant and that a baby may be born in the spring.