Spencer Pillai, General Manager for Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Gallagher Estate, shows just how close you can get with the animals at the Lory Park Zoo. Here he bonds with Monty the snake.

RELATED LINKS: Conference centres JOHANNESBURG has the facilities to host the largest conferences. There are four major conference centres (Sandton Convention Centre, Gallagher Estate, Coca-Cola Dome and the Expo Centre) dotted around Johannesburg, as well as about 40 other top-class venues. Read more Zoo works hard to save the rhino IT might have been a fun day in the sun for visitors, but the aim of the Johannesburg Zoo's Save the Rhino campaign was serious. It raised funds for selected rhino conservation projects in Africa and Asia. Read more Tourism Enterprise Programme to get cash injection SOWETO tourism stakeholders attending a meeting as part of national Imbizo Focus Week heard that the Tourism Enterprise Programme would get a R185-million cash injection over the next three years. Read more Africa's heart belongs to Midrand THE housing of the new Pan African Parliament at Gallagher Estate for the next five years is without doubt a coup for Midrand and greater Johannesburg. Read more Region 2 attractions PERHAPS the two major attractions of the region are the internationally known Kyalami Race Track, the premier home of speed in Gauteng, and the dressage displays of the Lipizzaner horses. Read more

Spencer Pillai, General Manager for Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Gallagher Estate, meets Rex at the Lory Park Zoo.

Lory Park Zoo joins Midrand Tourism Association Gallagher Estate has sponsored Lory Park Zoo's membership of the Midrand Tourism Association, so ensuring the zoo will benefit from belonging to the organization. April 18, 2006 By Shamin Chibba WHEN an animal species becomes extinct, it affects the delicate balance of an entire eco-system and could lead to other species becoming endangered and eventually extinct. Gallagher Estate, the hospitality and exhibition facility in Midrand, is making an effort to protect endangered animals as part of its commitment to sustained social responsibility, by sponsoring the Lory Park Zoo's annual membership of the Midrand Tourism Association (MTA). As a member of the MTA, the zoo will benefit from media exposure and will be listed as a tourist attraction. "It will help put us on the map," said the curator of the zoo, Matty Muntingh. More publicity would also attract more tourists. This, in turn, would provide the income needed to take care of the animals. "We were approached [by the MTA] and were asked to be put on the [Midrand] map, but we could not afford it," Muntingh said. So Gallagher Estate was approached to sponsor the zoo's membership fee. Lory Park Zoo is recognised by South African Nature Conservation and the national government as a fully equipped animal sanctuary and was one of the first proper avian facilities in South Africa. It has become an educational centre for children. Through the zoo's hands-on facilities, children are exposed to animals they would otherwise rarely come across. Educational programmes allow children to learn about breeding endangered species and about the importance of conserving the environment. However, the zoo's main priority is the protection of animals. Lions, Bengal tigers (part of an international breeding programme), leopards and tortoises are just some of the animals that have been rescued by the zoo, which rehabilitates them. Its Owl Sanctuary has become known beyond the country's borders as a safe haven for injured owls, such as the pearl spotted owl, spotted eagle owl, marsh owl and Pel's fishing owl. The MTA, which was founded in 2005, aims to develop and promote business and leisure tourism in Midrand and the surrounding areas. According to Gallagher Estate's marketing and corporate manager, Spencer Pillai, the sponsorship forms part of the facility's contribution to maintaining the zoo. "We believe in what they are doing. It is a place where people still care about animals and their welfare." He added that by joining the MTA, the zoo would become part of the Johannesburg Tourism Company, which focuses mainly on business tourism. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za