|
MEDIA
ADVISORY
January 8, 2009
CONTACT:
Kara Bussabarger
kara.bussabarger@louisvilleky.gov
502-238-5331 (502-744-5639 Media Cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 Timmy
turns 50!
Oldest male gorilla in North America
celebrates birthday milestone at the Louisville Zoo
Turning 50 is a very
big deal—especially if you’re the oldest male gorilla in North America.
Timmy, a western
lowland gorilla, will be celebrating his special milestone indoors at
Louisville Zoo’s Gorilla Forest on Saturday, January 17.
The party begins at
11 a.m. when Timmy will be given a custom-made ice sculpture “cake”
created and donated by Galt House Hotel and Suites Executive Chef Brian
Riddle. Other gorillas will also be celebrating the momentous occasion
with special piņata enrichment, and gorilla keepers will be available
throughout the day to interact and take questions from guests.
In celebration of
Timmy’s milestone and the Zoo’s recent announcement as the No. 1 zoo in
North America for cell phone recycling efforts in 2008, visitors and
families who bring and donate an old cell phone to the Zoo during the
month of January and February get a special discounted admission rate of
$5 per person. Zoo members as well as children 2 and under enter free.
“We hope people will
come out and celebrate with us,” Gorilla Forest Supervisor Roby Elsner
said. “Timmy is definitely special, and this day is an important
testament to the wonderful care our animals receive at the Zoo.”
Louisville Zoo’s
award-winning Gorilla Forest is on the forefront of gorilla management
and meets the demographic trends of current gorilla populations like
geriatric gorillas.
“With the
extraordinary care our animals receive, the Zoo has an important role to
play in caring for an increasing number of aging gorillas,” Elsner said.
“Gorilla Forest is a great home for Timmy because this unique facility
allows close keeper contact with him all day long and the freedom for
him to make choices about his environment that can increase his comfort,
like staying inside or going outside.”
Born in 1959, Timmy
is a laid-back silverback adored by female gorillas in his group which
currently includes Paki, Mia Moja and Kweli. Before arriving at
Louisville Zoo in 2004, Timmy lived at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and
Bronx Zoo.
The Louisville Zoo
has a total of 11 gorillas including Helen, 51, who is the third oldest
gorilla in North America (there is a tie for first at age 53), and Timmy
who ties for the fourth oldest gorilla overall in North America. There
are a total of 355 gorillas currently housed in 52 Zoos in North America
(168 males and 187 females).
Timmy photo by
Jan and Tom Parkes.
MORE BACKGROUND
The simple act of
recycling cell phones helps save gorillas, because cell phones and other
modern devices contain a metallic ore called Coltan, a mineral that is
refined into a heat-resistant powder that holds an electrical charge.
Coltan is found in the Congo in central Africa, home to endangered
lowland gorillas. Forest habitats are being cleared and gorillas, along
with other rare animals, are being killed for bushmeat—a negative side
industry of ore mining. So by reducing the demand for Coltan, threats to
gorillas and their habitats can be reduced.
Because of the steep
decline of great apes populations in the wild, 2009 has been declared
Year of the Gorilla by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Convention on Migratory Species, the UNEP/UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Great Ape Survival
Partnership and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more
information, visit
www.yog2009.org.
For more information
on the Louisville Zoo and Gorilla Forest, visit
www.louisvillezoo.org.
***
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY
To cover this huge
Louisville milestone, please arrive and sign in at the Zoo’s front
receptionist desk by 10:30 a.m. for an escort to Gorilla Forest. If you
have questions, contact Louisville Zoo Public Relations Manager Kara
Bussabarger at 502-238-5331.
***
The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of
Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our
planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience
for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation
education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of
Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
For more information, visit www.louisvillezoo.org.
###
|
