Dublin's Merrion Square looked like the set of a David Attenborough wildlife programme yesterday as two mountain gorillas were set loose on an unsuspecting public.
All was not as it seemed, however, as it became clear they were primates of a different kind, performers wearing fur for the day to help promote the 2007 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. BT, the event's main sponsors, staged the visit by UK group "Creature Feature" to encourage more student entries to the exhibition, which takes place next January.
The Young Scientist programme has been running for more than 40 years and last year involved the participation of more than 3,500 students, BT's chief operations officer Mike Maloney said yesterday. The gorilla visitors will be back again in January as a way to encourage students to realise the threat to this endangered species, he said. Like much to do with the exhibition, the gorilla performers provided a mix of "entertainment and education". "The performers who do this are professionally trained and they include a lot of factual information," Mr Moloney said.
"It is an entertaining way to help the kids to think about these issues."
The company is making a particular effort this year to attract more family visitors to the exhibition, which last year saw almost 36,000 pass through the gates.
Next January will see a return to the Royal Dublin Society of the familiar robots and dinosaurs, joined by a family of ersatz gorillas, which all feature as a way to attract families, Mr Moloney said.
The goal, as ever, was to encourage more young people to take up an interest in the sciences and consider undertaking science subjects in the Leaving Certificate or at third level.
Last January's exhibition included 500 student research projects, selected from a record entry of 1,152 projects. The shortlisted projects represented the work of about 1,200 students aged from 12-18.
The 2007 event takes place from January 9th-13th and students are encouraged to put together project ideas now. Details of how to apply and entry forms are available at www.btyoungscientist.ie