A male chimpanzee rescued from an animal trafficker in the Canary Islands is finally feeling at home at Lagos Zoo after five months of adaptation.
Lucas has taken his first steps outdoors and has been socialising with two females, Kika and Loulou, who zoo keepers say had been waiting for a male companion for a while. It is hoped the animals will breed.
Lucas was taken to Lagos Zoo in August from Rainfer, a primate conservation centre in Madrid.
The male chimpanzee had originally been seized from an animal smuggler in the Canary Islands, where he had been taken to an animal park in Las Palmas.
Zoo keepers say precarious living conditions and a past of abuse had led to an aggressive behaviour in the animal.
However, he is now adjusting well to his new environment.
Kika and Loulou were rescued from a circus caravan, where they lived in a confined space. Despite being too used to humans, they are now displaying normal animal behaviour.
Lagos Zoo is offering Algarve residents a 50% discount on entry tickets during January.
For more information, please call the zoo at 282 680 100.
