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MEDIA
RELEASE
April 9, 2010
CONTACT:
Kara Bussabarger
kara.bussabarger@louisvilleky.gov
502-238-5331 (502-744-5639 Media Cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gorilla baby update - Friday, April 9
The Louisville Zoo staff is encouraged by the
progress the infant gorilla is making. She is stable, bright and alert
and continuing to nurse and receive good nutrition from mom. She is also
strong and nimble when clinging to mom without assistance. Her surgical
sites look clean and healthy, and as each day passes, her condition and
prognosis improves.
Because of the infant’s improvement, 24-hour
observation is no longer indicated. Keepers will continue to maintain a
close, watchful eye on mom and baby, though.
Mom is continuing to take an antibiotic that is
excreted through her breast milk to help ward off any infections in the
infant.
Adult female Kweli has also been reintroduced
to mom Mia Moja and baby. Kweli’s presence has added comfort, support
and reassurance to Mia Moja. Zoo animal managers consulted with North
America’s leading gorilla behavior experts prior to the reintroduction
and continue to stay in contact with them.
Male Mshindi is currently housed in a separate,
adjacent bedroom where he can still see and communicate with baby, Mia
Moja and Kweli.
Further updates will be issued if there is a
change in status.
BACKGROUND RECAP
Louisville Zoo’s female infant gorilla (born
February 6, 2010) suffered an injury Thursday, April 1, 2010, that
resulted in the loss of part of her left leg and broken bone near her
left hip.
It happened during a skirmish within the family
group (which consists of 21-year-old mom Mia Moja, 22-year-old father
Mshindi and 27-year-old female Kweli).
“Squabbles within a gorilla group do happen,”
Louisville Zoo Animal Curator Steve Wing said. “Gorillas exhibit complex
and dynamic relationship behaviors. It is challenging to identify the
reason for this occurrence. Mia Moja, Mshindi, Kweli and the baby had
been together sharing the same space through the pregnancy and since the
birth and doing well.”
BABY BACKGROUND
The baby was born February 6 to western lowland
gorilla Mia Moja. She was the first gorilla baby born in North America
this year and the second gorilla ever born at the Louisville Zoo. (The
first was male Azizi born to Makari on December 4, 2003, a year after
Gorilla Forest opened in May of 2002.)
MOM BACKGROUND
Mother-raised and small-framed Mia Moja was
born March 18, 1989, at Zoo Atlanta and arrived at the Louisville Zoo in
2005. This is Mia’s second offspring. Her first was Olympia who was born
in 1996 and sired by famous gorilla Willie B. Olympia resides at Zoo
Atlanta.
DAD BACKGROUND
Silverback Mshindi was born October 17, 1987,
at St. Louis Zoo. He was hand raised and arrived at the Louisville Zoo
in 2005. This is his first offspring.
KWELI BACKGROUND
Kweli is a female who was born at Cincinnati
Zoo in 1983 and arrived in Louisville in April of 2008. She is mother to
Kicho (Louisville Zoo) and also has offspring at Pittsburgh Zoo and
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo.
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Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky,
is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by
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***
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