Two new additions have arrived in our western lowland gorilla troop at the San Diego Zoo. Memba, a 37-year-old silverback gorilla, has fathered two more healthy baby boys, adding to the endangered population of gorillas.
(more…)
Only once have I been able to observe one of our western lowland gorillas during a procedure here at the Harter Veterinary Medical Center (HVMC). On that first occasion it was 34-year old Winston, a nearly 600-pound (270-kilogram) male who lives at the Wild Animal Park. When I walked through the doors to the hospital, there was a very strange, pungent odor I had never experienced before. As ever, my curiosity got the best of me, so I followed the smelly trail to the large animal treatment room and was surprised to be staring at a very large, very imposing – and very anesthetized, I was happy to discover – gorilla. It was a humbling experience.
|inline
Yvette is writing a series of blogs about each orangutan at the San Diego Zoo. Her previous blog, about Satu, is titled The Next Orangutan Goes Out.
The orangutans in the Absolutely Apes exhibit at the San Diego Zoo exit their bedrooms one by one every morning. On their way out, they stop in a chute to participate in their morning training session. We have been releasing them and so far Indah, Cinta, Josephine, and Satu have all gone through; three are left. Today we’ll send Janey (pictured) through.
|inline
In December, we reported the hatching of 17 nene goslings at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC) (see Nene Breeding Season Begins Successfully). Since then, three females produced a second clutch, resulting in the successful hatching of eight more healthy goslings.
|inline
It’s become a habit to round the corner at the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station viewing area and look up, the better to locate Su Lin’s perch for the morning. Imagine my surprise when I confronted a curious little face with bright dark eyes looking back at me with the same surprise! Finally, finally, Su Lin was down from her trees and interacting with her mother, Bai Yun, first thing in the morning. Up the climbing structures and down, following Mom or being followed, this ” play” time continued for a good half hour after the Zoo opened, allowing early visitors to share in the fun.
|inline
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Bacon and eggs? Cereal and milk? What would you do if tomorrow you woke up and there were no more bacon and eggs or cereal and milk left in the world to eat?
|inline
For all of you who are fans of our beautiful lion pride at the Wild Animal Park’s Lion Camp, I have some exciting news. Oshana, one of two females in male Izu’s pride, has become a mother! She went into labor on May 16, within three days of her expected due date, and gave birth to two strong, healthy cubs.
|inline
If you’ve ever been to the Children’s Zoo at the San Diego Zoo, you have probably seen our pair of red pandas, located next to the naked mole rats exhibit. Luta is our female and soon to be 12 years old; Fuji is our 10-year-old male. We are hoping Luta is pregnant, but we won’t know for a while. Due to delayed implantation, if there is a baby it could be born between now and August.
|inline
