first
introduction to their new outdoor enclosure.
Mum Sanda
delivered the baby overnight and Zoo Director Dr Baird
Fleming said the Zoo team was delighted by the
arrival.
“We were so over the moon yesterday with
how wonderfully well the chimpanzees reacted to their new
space and today we’re celebrating a birth,” said Dr
Fleming.
“It’s a really positive sign that Sanda
felt so happy, healthy and safe in her new surroundings she
was comfortable enough to deliver her baby.”
The
chimps have been off display since February while their
outdoor enclosure was upgraded.
Dr Fleming said while
Columbus Zoo euthanizes 4-year-old cheetah with Achilles tendon injury
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium euthanized a 4-year-old cheetah, Ophelia, on Wednesday who lacerated her Achilles tendon, a serious injury for the species.
Ophelia originally injured the tendon on June 13, 2019. A veterinary surgeon from MedVet repaired it and the surgery appeared to be successful.
But the repair failed on Wednesday, leaving staff with few other options, according to a post on the zoo s Facebook page. This tendon is vital for extending the ankle, so every time a step is taken, it flexes the joint, the post said. An animal like a cheetah that is built to make rapid accelerations puts even more strain on the tendon.
But don t go rushing in to meet the newest addition yet. “The troop needs time together to bond in their new environment and it’s crucial that the other chimpanzees identify and connect with the baby too, Fleming said. “Animal welfare is always at the forefront of everything we do.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
Hamilton Zoo s Chiku has become a big sister, and the rest of the troop has been looking after her while mum Sanda is busy. Visitors haven t been able to see the chimpanzees since February, while their outdoor enclosure was upgraded. The Zoo will announce when the chimp enclosure paths and viewing areas reopen to the public.
Friday, 18 December, 2020 - 16:00
Hamilton Zoo’s chimpanzee troop has welcomed an adorable new addition, just 24 hours after their first introduction to their new outdoor enclosure.
Mum Sanda delivered the baby overnight and Zoo Director Dr Baird Fleming said the Zoo team was delighted by the arrival. We were so over the moon yesterday with how wonderfully well the chimpanzees reacted to their new space and today we’re celebrating a birth, said Dr Fleming. It’s a really positive sign that Sanda felt so happy, healthy and safe in her new surroundings she was comfortable enough to deliver her baby.
This story is part of the Landscape News series Forgotten Forests.
Millions of years ago, in the temperate montane forests of a little-known region in Central Asia, some of the world’s best-loved fruit and nut trees began to grow. Apples, apricots, cherries, plums, grapes, figs, peaches, pomegranates, pears, almonds, pistachios and walnuts all originated in the hills and valleys of the Tian Shan mountain range, which stretches from Uzbekistan in the west to China and Mongolia in the east.
The area is volcanic and geologically tumultuous, but fertile – scientists have hypothesized that in a place prone to frequent eruptions, earthquakes and landslides, shorter-lived tree species that could disperse their seeds widely by making themselves palatable to large mammals had a better shot at survival than long-lived, slow-maturing trees.