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Gorillas in the news
February
9, 2011
Rare Gorilla Twins Born in the Wild
Twin
mountain gorillas have been born at Volcanoes National Park
in Rwanda. The male twins represent an important gain for
this endangered species and mark only the fifth recorded birth
of gorilla twins in Rwanda.
Read
more from the BBC News.
(photo
by the Gorilla Organization via BBC News)
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Zoo
Atlanta houses the only mother-reared gorilla twins in captivity.
The twins, Kali and Kazi, turned five years old last October.
Read
more from Zoo and Aquarium Visitor.
(2007
photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta)
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August
23, 2010
Zoo Atlanta Awarded Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library
Services
Funding
demonstrates historic show of support for great ape veterinary care.
Zoo
Atlanta has received a prestigious grant from the federal
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to lead a multi-institutional
effort to examine heart disease in great apes. The $92,000 grant
represents an historic show of support for an area of ape health
care that has until now been poorly understood by veterinarians.
Identified as a leading cause of death in great apes living
in zoological settings, cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires
advanced understanding of diagnosing, treating and monitoring
affected individuals, as well as adapting techniques already
in use for treatment of heart disease in humans and domestic
animals. Under the leadership of Hayley Murphy, DVM, Director
of Veterinary Services, the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team will
use the one-year grant to design an innovative national program
for investigating ape CVD and establishing state-of-the-art
diagnostics, treatment and prevention. Partnership institutions
include The University of Georgia, Cleveland
Metroparks Zoo, and more than 15 additional zoos and universities.
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(photo
courtesy of Zoo Atlanta) |
"We are pleased and proud that IMLS saw the merit in a
project that will have a positive impact on great apes in zoological
collections throughout the world," said Raymond King, President
and CEO. "This is an important step forward that will allow
experts from around the country to share knowledge and build
on their individual strengths."
Zoo Atlanta is a likely candidate for leadership in a great
ape heart health initiative. The organization houses the nation's
largest collection of western lowland gorillas, with 23 individuals,
as well as the largest zoological collection of orangutans in
the U.S., currently with 11 individuals. Four of the Zoo's great
apes are over the age of 45.
"National Leadership Collaborative Planning Grants provide
opportunities to conduct research and develop the framework
to support future projects that have the potential to generate
new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances
that will positively impact museums, libraries, and the communities
they serve. These projects encourage partnerships that address
national issues of importance impacting education, scholarship,
and public service and encourage the broad application of standards
and models to improve professional practice," said IMLS
Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary
source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries
and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong
libraries and museums that connect people to information and
ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination
with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture,
and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development. To learn more about the Institute,
visit www.imls.gov.
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February
10, 2010
Census of Gorillas to Begin in March
Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda are cooperating
to complete a full census of mountain gorilla populations in the
Virunga Volcanoes and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Read the
full
story at allAfrica.com.
July 29, 2009
Last Chance for the Gorilla
The Year of
the Gorilla prompts a re-analysis of gorilla conservation strategies
in Africa.
Read more in the
New Scientist...and Learn what YOU
can do to help save gorillas.
March
6, 2009
And Frank makes Five...
Gorilla baby joins family on exhibit at the San
Diego Zoo.
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A
western lowland gorilla born Sept. 4, 2008 at the San Diego
Zoo holds onto the back of 14-year-old Ndjia in the Gorilla
Tropics exhibit Friday. Friday marked his first time on exhibit
with his family. The young gorilla, named Frank, is the fifth
member of the Zoo's gorilla troop lead by a silverback named
Paul Donn. The other members of the troop are Frank's mother,
12-year-old Azizi and a 13-year-old female, Imani. Gorillas
are peaceful, family-oriented animals and all of the members
of the troop take responsibility for caring and raising Frank.
Frank
weighs more than 13 pounds, but zoo keepers expect that he'll
grow to be more than 400 pounds. His father, Paul Donn, weighs
450 pounds. Gorillas usually grow to their full size by the
time they are 15 years old. They are listed as critically
endangered by the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature and 2009 was declared the Year
of the Gorilla by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums,
United Nations Environmental Programme and other organizations
working toward conserving the gorilla population. The San
Diego Zoo is home to 13 western lowland gorillas.
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Frank
and Ndjia, G.g. gorilla, San Diego Zoo
(photo by Ken Bohn, © San Diego Zoo) |
March
2, 2009
Gorilla Conservation Update: Mbeli Bai Annual Report
Researchers with the Wildlife
Conservation Society's Mbeli Bai Study have been monitoring
western gorillas in the Republic of Congo since 1995. The
project's annual report highlights
their critical efforts in learn more about and protect wild gorillas.
For more information about the project, visit the WCS-Congo
website.
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January
17, 2009
Timmy
turns Fifty!
The Louisville Zoo wishes a happy birthday to North America's
oldest male gorilla.
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Paki
explores Timmy's birthday "cake"
(photo by Kara Bussabarger) |
Timmy
on his birthday
(photo by Michele Long)
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January
5, 2009
Zoo Takes a Lead in Gorilla Rearing
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a leader in hand-raising and surrogacy
programs for gorillas.
Read
more from the Columbus Local News...
October
15, 2008
Gorilla Intelligence Revealed
Research at Lincoln Park Zoo reveals gorilla cognitive abilities.
Read
more from the Chicago Tribune...
September
8, 2008
Good-bye to Jenny
The world's oldest captive gorilla dies at the Dallas Zoo. Read
more from the Dallas Morning News...
August
28, 2008
Abuse of Apes in Films
A new PETA documentary exposes abusive training practices used
on ape actors.
Read more from the Los Angeles Times...
August
5, 2008
Good News for Great Apes
New census data from Republic of Congo dramatically increases
population estimates for critically endangered Western lowland gorillas.
Read
more from the Wildlife Conservation Society...
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