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Rare Bonobo Population Increases by One at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Powell, OH - A baby bonobo was born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium yesterday afternoon as Zoo volunteers and staff who have been conducting around the clock observations since February 17 watched via surveillance camera. This is the eleventh bonobo born at the Columbus Zoo since the Zoo received its first bonobos in 1990 in conjunction with the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for this endangered ape. This is the fourth baby for mother “Susie” who is caring for the newborn in the company of the other bonobos in her group including her offspring “Donnie”, born in 1993, and “Lola”, born in 2004. Daughter “Kimia”, born in 1999, now resides at the Cincinnati Zoo. Bonobos live in dynamic groups and confirmation of the baby’s sire, either “Toby” or “Jimmy”, awaits the results of genetic paternity testing. Currently there are 85 bonobos in ten facilities in North America and 15 reside at the Columbus Zoo. Bonobos and people share more than 98% of the same DNA; in fact, bonobos and chimpanzees are more closely related genetically to humans than they are to gorillas. The bonobo is the smallest of the great apes and is a separate species from the chimpanzee. Females give birth to a single baby after a gestation period of approximately 8.5 months. Bonobos were the last of the great apes to be discovered and is the rarest with only 5,000-50,000 living in the equatorial forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The primary threat to the endangered bonobo is human behavior, mainly habitat destruction caused by logging. A secondary threat is the hunting of bonobos for bushmeat for native consumption and for sale to logging companies and markets. Recognizing the desperate situation bonobos face in the wild, the Columbus Zoo supports the Congolese association ABC - Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo (Friends of Bonobos in Congo). ABC operates Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, which has advocated for wildlife conservation in Kinshasa for the past 10 years. ABC's mission is "to contribute to the protection of bonobos in their natural environment through educational programs, advocacy work and the facilitation of behavioral research." In 2009, the Zoo’s Conservation Grants Program and Partners in Conservation awarded more than $1 million in program support for 70 conservation projects in 35 countries. Over the past five years, the Zoo has distributed $4 million in support. This money is raised from restricted donations, conservation fundraisers, and coins donated by Zoo visitors. “We are committed to saving the bonobo through the excellent care given to these amazing animals at the Zoo and by providing significant support for conservation programs in Africa” said Columbus Zoo Executive Director Dale Schmidt. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open 363 days a year 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. after Labor Day. General admission is $12.99 for adults, $7.99 for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 60+. Children under 2 and Columbus Zoo members are free. The Zoo was named the #1 Zoo in America by USA Travel Guide and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) For more information and to purchase advance Zoo admission tickets, visit www.columbuszoo.org. To view Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-20-Colombus_Zoo_and_Aquarium |
By Jennifer Wilson
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Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs
Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.
Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.
Sibylle Noras
Founder and Publisher
“Saving Snow Leopards” website. See how conservationists and zoos are working to help these rare and elusive cats avoid extinction.
http://www.snowleopardblog.com
Love penguin fluffballs.
I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!
If you have any interest in reading a new blog, featuring conservation of adorable animals and their habitats, please check out my website...
Conservation:Cute
http://conservationcute.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
World Oceans Day
For more information about World Oceans Day and a list of other events in your area you can visit www.WorldOceansDay.org
Elephants
Asome news on the new baby! I agree with everyone here on the fact that animals should not be in captivation. If you want to check out a really cool place in Thailand where you can care for elephants check out http://www.elephantstay.com this place is a sanctuary for retired working elephants, it's an amazing place and they do so much good for the animals who live there. I went a few months ago and it was amazing.
Kimberly Juchnowski
Publisher, http://www.tikikiki.com
zoo animal diet's
It's ridiculous to try extrapolate zoo animals diet to human beings, and it flies in the face of all science of the last 30 years that looked into nutrition and health research. Maybe Rudy Socha was being sarcastic? I hope so.
response to starseed
I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.
Christian's Award
I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles. I am proud of her.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The seashore, our accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps merge scientific exploration Dry Tortugas National Park with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sports of surfing and snorkeling, all while making new friends and memories.
hey
http://www.deafmatching.com is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!
Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.
Don't support it anymore
I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.
diabetes
diabetes
pacaya samiria national reserve
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place. The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite. Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live. To learn more and see photos taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org
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