Transporting the two tallest palms in the Netherlands presented quite a few challenges. This was mainly due to the tilting of the 14,000 kilo palms. Because of the heavy weight of the top and the root ball, there was a risk of the trunk snapping when the palms were tilted. In order to prevent this, the pressure on the trunk had to be distributed over two points. This required no less than two cranes per tree. One crane carefully lifted the palm, whilst the other carefully tilted it.

Immediately after the palm was tilted, the root ball was well packed for protection. Damage to the roots can cause the tree to die. The leaves were also packed with special sleeves in order to prevent damage to the crown during transport.

In the early morning of Friday 29 April, the Jubaea palms arrived at Artis with special transport. Under the guidance of our experts, they were planted with 40 cubic metres of soil.

The new location of the Jubaea chilensis palms is right at the main entrance of the Artis zoo. This had been the camel field for many years. The last camel recently passed away, and the other inhabitants of the field were transferred to the savannah further up the park. The camel field is now being transformed into a new home for the algazelles, a species of antelope also known as sable antelope or sabeloryx. This species was once native to the deserts, dry steppes, and stony wildernesses of the Middle East and North Africa. Unfortunately, the algazelle has not been seen in the wild since 2000. It is thus assumed that this antelope species is extinct in the wild. Fortunately, a great deal of work is being done on a reintroduction programme in order to reintroduce the species. In Tunisia, the first zoo-kept algazelles have been released into a well-protected area.

In the new area, the original habitat of the algazelle is recreated as much as possible. Palm trees are an essential part of this habitat. Just like for the algazelles, an optimal habitat is also created for the Jubaea palms. The palms are planted in peat-free soil, which is equipped with a drainage system in order to allow excess rainwater to run off. The root balls have also been anchored so that the palms cannot be blown over.

These special and endangered animal and palm species have thus been brought together in a wonderful enclosure in the Artis zoo.

The Jubaea chilensis or the Chilean wine palm is native to Chile and is one of the world’s largest palms. An adult palm in its natural habitat can reach a height of up to 30 meters and a trunk circumference of up to 2 metres. In Western Europe, these palms are becoming less robust but certainly no less impressive. The Jubaea chilensis is a highly suitable palm for our climate and can tolerate severe frost. In Montpellier (France,) there are palms that have survived temperatures of −17°C.

Like the algazelle, the Jubaea palm can also be found as an endangered species on the red list of endangered plant and animal species. Unfortunately, in recent centuries, pressures from human population growth, the expansion of grazing areas, and the production of palm wine and palm sugar have increased dramatically, thereby causing the number of Chilean wine palms to decrease. In Chile, the species is only partially protected.

The seeds are referred to as ‘coquitos’ by the Chilean population. This means ‘little coconuts’. The seeds not only look like miniature coconuts but also taste like coconut and are commonly eaten as a snack in Chile.