Toledo Zoo's Harvey the Chimp is Having His 51st Birthday Party

By Eric Klinger

Toledo, OH - The Toledo Zoo will celebrate the 51st birthday of their beloved chimpanzee Harvey with a special party on Sunday, January 10, at 11:00 a.m. As part of the festivities, Harvey will find his habitat in the Kingdom of the Apes filled with species-appropriate treats and gifts. Events such as these are fun for visitors and also offer enrichment for the Zoo’s animals, providing the animals with new and interesting ways to interact with their environments. Enrichment also affords them the opportunity to engage in naturalistic behaviors, including foraging and manipulating objects in their habitats.

Having passed the half-century mark, Harvey is estimated to be the third oldest male chimpanzee in any American zoo. Except for a brief stint at the Baltimore Zoo, he has been at The Toledo Zoo since the late 1970s. Harvey remains in good health, a testament to the excellent care he receives at the Zoo.

For Harvey’s wild counterparts, though, the situation is far less positive. Commercial trade in bushmeat, deforestation and progressive habitat loss have caused chimpanzees to be classified as endangered. They are now extinct in four of the 25 countries they once inhabited.

The Toledo Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. 4 p.m. and is located on the Anthony Wayne Trail (US 25), four miles south of downtown Toledo. For more information, please visit www.toledozoo.org or call (419) 385-4040. Lucas County residents are admitted free of charge each Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. ID showing proof of residency is required.

The Toledo Zoo is committed to inspiring others to join in caring for animals and conserving the natural world. As part of that mission, The Toledo Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a leader in global wildlife conservation. AZA member institutions are dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors and a better future for all living things.

To view Toledo Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-50-Toledo_Zoo