Jersey Zoo: A regular Royal Visitor

Jersey Zoo: A regular Royal Visitor

  

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, who will visit Jersey Zoo in the autumn to join in the anniversary celebrations of the trust of which she is patron, is no stranger to the Island or the Zoo. She has paid two previous visits to Jersey, and her last in 1976, in common with this year's, was specifically to visit the Zoo.

On that occasion she opened the Gaherty Reptile Breeding Centre and this year she will open the training centre adjoining the zoo.

Although large numbers of Islanders gathered to see the Princess in the afternoon, the first part of her visit was private, with an opportunity to be shown the Zoo in which she has shown such a great personal interest as patron of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust.

One of the major attractions, of course, was the family of young gorillas, which was introduced to the Princess outside the manor house in glorious autumn sunshine. A major attraction for the gorillas was Princess Anne's wide brimmed hat, which they were unable to resist making a grab for.

  

In the afternoon, with the public present, she appealed to them to end the sinister image which reptiles had, before unveiling the commemorative plaque on the building.

It was a proud day for Canadian Dr Geoffrey Gaherty, who was present to see the Royal seal of approval given to the centre he had paid for, although his wife was ill and unable to join him.

No doubt during this year's visit the Princess will want to see for herself what progress has been made since her last visit, not only in the reptile breeding centre, but other areas of the zoo.

The message will be one of tremendous success, both in the reptile centre and throughout the entire animal collection, though whether she will be keen to get close enough to the gorilla babies eight years on to put her hat at risk is doubtful.