Caesar, a 4ft fibreglass gorilla, faced an uncertain future after being evicted from his home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, by the local council. However, he has since become a viral sensation and found a new residence at the Flight Centre store on South Molton Street in London.
From Wakefield to Mayfair
For the past 12 months, Caesar had been proudly displayed on a platform at the home of Adele Teale, 59, in Wakefield. Teale, who loves gorillas, had previously kept Caesar at her home in Leeds for 15 years without any issues. Earlier this year, Wakefield Council informed her that a complaint had been lodged, and she was required to remove Caesar as she lacked planning permission for the display.
Caesar had never visited London before and took a scenic route to his new abode, posing at Big Ben, dropping in on Downing Street, and cruising through Piccadilly Circus.
Flight Centre Steps In
Joe Beevis, general manager of Flight Centre, explained the decision to adopt Caesar: "We send nature lovers to see wildlife in Africa every year, so when we heard Caesar needed a new home, it felt like the natural fit. Caesar is a reminder that the best wildlife encounters are live ones. Booking with companies who take sustainable tourism seriously, such as our travel partner Intrepid Travel, means the animals, their habitats and local communities that make those moments possible can continue to thrive."
Beevis added: "We took Caesar’s welfare extremely seriously on the journey down from Wakefield, and, on arrival in London we felt it was only right to show him the sights of our great city. He's now installed at our South Molton Street store and is adjusting to Mayfair life very well. We've had no complaints, though he has developed strong opinions about the air conditioning."
Owner's Relief
Adele Teale, Caesar’s owner, expressed her relief: "Caesar has been part of my life for more than 20 years and I wasn’t going to give up on him without a fight, but I’m really glad this is how it’s ended up. He’s not gone forever; he’s just heading to London for a bit, which feels very him. I was glad to be there to hand him over in person and I know he’s going to be properly looked after by Flight Centre, who care as much about animal welfare as I do."
Visit Caesar and Special Offer
Caesar’s fans can see him in person at Flight Centre's store on South Molton Street, Mayfair. Additionally, for a limited time and in celebration of Caesar’s arrival, Flight Centre is offering 10% off selected Africa Tours with Intrepid Travel. For more details, visit Flight Centre’s website.
