Acacia the Gorilla Packs Up and Moves to North Carolina Zoo

By Rod Hackney

Asheboro, NC - —“Acacia,” a 15-year-old female gorilla, arrived at the North Carolina Zoo Saturday evening from the Oklahoma City Zoo, the second new gorilla to be transferred to the state zoo in the past month.

“Jamani,” a 10-year-old female arrived in Asheboro January 14, from the San Diego Zoo. Both gorillas were transferred to the N.C. Zoo as part of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums aimed at improving the captive care and breeding of these highly endangered great apes.

Acacia arrived via cargo jet at Piedmont Triad International Airport around 6 p.m. Saturday and was transported by truck to Asheboro, where she settled into quarantine facilities at the N.C. Zoo’s Hanes Veterinary Medical Center. All new primates arriving at the zoo are required to go through a lengthy quarantine period before being introduced to their exhibits.

The N.C. Zoo lost three female gorillas to medical problems during 2009, including two to cancer in late December. The transfers of Jamani and Acacia were approved earlier by the Gorilla SSP and are not related to the loss of the other animals. The two new females will eventually join 18-year-old male “Nkosi” in the zoo’s outdoor Forest Glade gorilla habitat.

The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Dee Freeman, Secretary; Beverly E. Perdue, Governor.

To view North Carolina Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-22-North_Carolina_Zoo