Baby Zoli, meet baby Zain

Louisville Zoo orphaned siamang gets a “brother”; A “sister” is on the way

Louisville Zoo’s 4-month-old male baby siamang, Zoli, just got a “baby brother”—8-week-old siamang Zain from Albuquerque Biological Park in Albuquerque, N.M. 

Zain arrived in Louisville late July 12. Assistant Curator Candy McMahan and Louisville Zoo Training Supervisor Jane Anne Franklin drove more than 10 hours to meet Albuquerque Biological Park representatives in Tulsa, Okla., to pick him up.

“It was a long trip, but worth it,” Franklin said. “This is the right thing to do and the best thing for both of them.”

Zain, who is in routine 30-day quarantine, is adjusting to his new surroundings. Zoo staff has increased shifts to provide both with quality care.

“Everything is going very well,” Franklin said. “It is a lot of hard work and tireless effort, but there is nothing we wouldn’t do for either of them.”

Zain was abandoned by his parents after birth. It was the second time the pair rejected their offspring. Keepers in Albuquerque had been raising him by hand. Zoli was orphaned at the Louisville Zoo April 4 when both his parents died suddenly.

Zain weighs 1,037 grams and is bottle fed every three hours (six times a day). He likes to suck his thumb and play with his favorite toy, a ring of plastic keys and rope, which was sent with him from Albuquerque. He is starting to recognize the Louisville Zoo staff and is learning to climb and cling on to them.

Zoli is adjusting, too.

“Zoli likes to steal Zain’s toys,” Franklin laughed. “But I know they will get along and be great. My goal is to raise these babies to be the best siamangs they can be. They are the future for the species.”

Zoli currently weighs 1,523 grams and takes a bottle five times a day as well as eating leafy greens, potatoes, apples, bananas and browse. His favorite is spinach.

 

ANOTHER ARRIVAL

The Zoo is also working to get Zoli and Zain a “sister” soon—actually it literally is Zain’s sister.

Franklin said Sungai (pronounced SOON-gai), an 11-month-old female siamang from the San Francisco Zoo, will hopefully be arriving in the next few weeks. Details, such as Zoo loan agreements and an estimated arrival date, are still being worked out.

Sungai is Zain’s older sister; their parents abandoned her when she was born.

 “I am excited about the possibility of Sungai coming,” Franklin said. “She is very sweet and will bring some maturity to youngsters Zain and Zoli.”

Franklin hopes that after the new arrivals get settled they will be on exhibit in the Islands outdoor habitats so the public can see them. (A date is yet to be determined).

“The public will fall in love with them when they see them,” Franklin said. “Even though having all these babies here is a little intimidating, I know everyone is cheering us on. This is an experience of a lifetime and we will do everything we can to help them thrive as siamangs.”

 

ONGOING INVESTIGATION

Louisville Zoo veterinary staff is still investigating the cause of death of Zoli’s parents that died April 4.

“All the toxicology results have turned up negative,” Louisville Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Roy Burns said. “We just recently sent off more samples for testing hoping something will be discovered.”

If the current tests come back negative, Burns said he and his staff will have to return to square one and dig deeper.

“We are doing everything we can to determine the cause of death, but no answers are surfacing,” Burns said. “It is heart wrenching to lose an animal, and not knowing what caused the death makes it even harder. But we are continuing to investigate.”

 

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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).

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