GORILLA BIRTH EXPECTED AT BUSCH GARDENS
Mother is 11-Year-Old Western Lowland Gorilla
TAMPA, FL (Nov. 13, 2013 – Busch Gardens® Tampa has announced that one of the park’s western lowland gorillas, 11-year-old Pele, is expecting her first baby later this year. With a gestation period of 8 1/2 months, Pele is expected to give birth in December 2013.
This pregnancy is part of the park’s participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP). The mission of the SSP is to cooperatively manage specific, and typically threatened or endangered, species populations within AZA-accredited facilities. Western lowland gorillas are an endangered species.
Pele came to Busch Gardens in February 2010 from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. She quickly integrated into the park’s gorilla troop, and Bolingo, one of Busch Gardens’ male gorillas and the suspected sire, quickly became fond of her. Born in November 2005 at Busch Gardens, Bolingo was the first successful gorilla birth in Busch Gardens’ history.
Both Pele and Bolingo, along with the other gorillas, can be seen in Myombe Reserve. Pele will continue to be on guest view until she gives birth.
[video=youtube_share;n0LkOsfYpHs]http://youtu.be/n0LkOsfYpHs[/video]
Since 2004, Busch Gardens has supported the study of western lowland gorillas being conducted in the remote region of the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in Africa's northern Congo through the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. Coordinated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the study's focus on the rarely seen ecology and social behavior of the lowland gorilla is resulting in ground-breaking data on this fascinating and endangered species.
Ultrasound Video . . .
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