Catching some sun: Makoko the Johannesburg Zoo's gorilla is now able to spend his nights watching television from his hammock

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Comic night time antics for the zoo's primates The apes at Johannesburg Zoo have got much to keep them smiling, with the introduction of a colour DSTV screen and gym equipment. September 19, 2006 By Ndaba Dlamini MAKOKO'S neighbours must be turning green with envy, as Johannesburg Zoo's famous gorilla now has his own colour television, courtesy of Cartoon Network. However, he's not the only one to be spoilt – the same sponsor has provided the zoo's seven chimpanzees with a brand new gym in their night enclosures to cavort their spare time away. "Makoko and the chimpanzees had a long night, being taken into their enclosure between 3pm and 4pm every day. The television and the gym will help make the animals' nights shorter and more fun," says Johannesburg Zoo's educationist, Teresa Slacke. Makoko will be able to watch crazy cartoon characters like Ed, Edd and Eddy and the extremely funny The Powerpuff Girls on his new DSTV screen, says Slacke. "We're sure that Makoko will be entertained day and night." Although he can't be able to appreciate the witty jokes and story lines of Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory because the sound is turned off, Makoko is able to watch the cartoon characters while swinging gently from his new hammock. "Makoko, who was wary at first when the television was installed on Monday, 11 September, is enjoying the shows tremendously. For the television and his own protection, the television has been placed in an enclosure so that he cannot break it." The chimpanzees' three night rooms have been fitted with untreated new wooden poles where they can swing and exercise to their hearts' content, says Slacke. "A jungle of ropes and swings has also been installed together with rubber matting and hammocks. This is a treat for the primates." The sponsorship coincides with the launch of My Gym Partner's a Monkey, a new cartoon from Cartoon Network about a school where the main rule is "Do not eat the other students". Cartoon Network manager and marketing director, Helen Lucy, says the channel is excited about the joint collaboration with the zoo. "It's great that we can become sponsors of the Johannesburg Zoo and we thank Teresa Slacke for managing this project and hope that this close relationship will continue in the future. "The zoo is a great place for kids to visit and we hope they will have fun watching the chimps and Makoko playing in Cartoon Network environments." 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