Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Video and photo by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren Nadiri and her baby are getting to know each other and learning new things about each other day by day.  Here is video of our girl exploring new tactile sensations and trying out a few luscious leaves. Keeper Traci Colwell gives us a quick update on the newborn’s progress. Video of the baby gorilla exploring new tactile sensations andtasting a tiny leaf.  The baby gorilla receives attentive care by keeper and veterinary staff in a den behind the scenes of the gorilla exhibit, where Nadiri can see her baby and her baby can see her mom throughout the day, every day. “For the long-term benefits and welfare of the baby gorilla, it’s important for her to know she’s a gorilla, not a human. She never leaves the gorilla den. Here, she is exposed to her mom and can also see, hear and smell the zoo’s other gorillas,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “It’s also a st

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor In the first video of our baby gorilla, the now 6-week-old little girl gets a quick veterinary check up from Woodland Park Zoo Director of Animal Health, Dr. Darin Collins. WATCH:  Video: Baby gorilla gets a veterinary check up. She's looking great, doing well, and with a healthy appetite, she now weighs in at 7 pounds. As she grows, her little leg muscles are starting to develop and that means baby has now hit another milestone: she's starting to crawl! She can only cover short distances, but with the way she now holds her head steady and is starting to really take in her surroundings, she'll be an explorer soon. The infant continues to receive round-the-clock care from zookeepers. Several times a day the keepers provide opportunities for first-time mom Nadiri and her baby to interact. During these patient introductions, Nadiri is given the choice to be with her baby and the introductions have remained positive. In the c

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo At almost a month old! Introductions between first-time mother Nadiri and her new baby are moving along at a slow pace, but a step in the right direction is good news, no matter how tiny those steps may be. The baby western lowland gorilla , a female, was born November 20 to 19-year-old Nadiri. After giving birth naturally, Nadiri did not pick up her baby. Staff immediately stepped in for the safety and welfare of the baby and to allow the new mom to rest. Because Nadiri does not have experience with motherhood, the zoo prepared for different outcomes while Nadiri was pregnant, including human intervention. Zoo gorilla and veterinary staff are providing 24/7 care for the baby gorilla behind the scenes in the gorillas’ sleeping quarters in a den next to Nadiri. The mom and the other two members in her group can see the baby, and the baby is immersed in the sights, s

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo We have a little update on our gorilla Nadiri and her newborn baby. Attempts to introduce the first-time mother gorilla to her new baby continue every day. For now, the plan for the next three months will be to keep on providing hands-on care for the female gorilla infant before evaluating next steps. The baby western lowland gorilla was born November 20 to 19-year-old Nadiri. After giving birth naturally, Nadiri did not pick up her baby and, instead, walked away. Staff immediately stepped in for the safety and welfare of the baby and to allow the new mom to rest. Because Nadiri does not have experience with motherhood, the zoo prepared for different eventualities while Nadiri was pregnant, including human intervention. Zoo gorilla and veterinary staff are providing 24/7 care for the baby gorilla behind the scenes in the gorillas’ sleeping quarters in a den next to Nadi

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Baby girl, cozy and in the care of her attentive keepers. As you may have heard, a female baby gorilla was born on Friday, November 20, to first time mom, Nadiri. First, let us thank you all for your congratulatory notes and kind words for keepers and staff. We appreciate your enthusiasm and support for this special new girl who has stolen our hearts. The baby is thriving. Under special care of keepers and veterinary staff, the western lowland gorilla is receiving round-the-clock care and is currently off public view. She is being bottle-fed human infant formula. Just so sleepy after her birth journey. Although Nadiri gave birth naturally , without intervention by staff, she did not show appropriate maternal behaviors. After giving birth, she walked away to the other side of the den and staff had to step in for the safety and welfare of the baby and to let the new mom rest. Because Nadiri was partially hand-raised and do

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications An image taken from a closed circuit keeper camera showing Nadiri during labor in her den this morning. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo. Curator Martin Ramirez monitors Nadiri via closed circuit camera during labor. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. After a night of restless tossing and turning, we knew pregnant gorilla Nadiri was close. Then the contractions started around 8:00 a.m. today and just about 4 hours later at 11:30 a.m. it finally happened—Nadiri brought her first offspring into the world. Within moments of giving birth, Nadiri moved a few feet away from the baby and walked to the other side of her den. Keepers watching closely could see the infant was moving, though still wrapped in the amniotic sac. We made the call for the safety of the baby: it was time to intervene. Curator Martin Ramirez explained that while we hoped Nadiri would immediately hold and care for her baby, we stepped in for the safety of the

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor with Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Communications Nadiri, our 19-year-old, soon-to-be mother, rests on some hay inside the gorilla exhibit. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. And now the watch begins. Gorilla Nadiri could give birth any day now. Last night kicked off the round-the-clock birth watch so we have eyes on the pregnant gorilla at all hours of the day. Volunteers Harry, right, and Sue, far left, receive some last-minute guidance and refreshers from keeper Judy, center, before the start of the shift. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. Zoo volunteers head in for their shifts nightly, monitoring the expectant mom overnight via a closed circuit camera. During the shifts, volunteers collect data and look for any telltale signs in her behavior that would indicate the onset of labor. A gorilla keeper is on call each night to respond if Nadiri goes into labor overnight. A keeper thumbs through paperwork the b

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor with Gigi Allianic, Communications Nadiri at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo. At 19 years old, western lowland gorilla Nadiri is pregnant for the first time. We're counting down to the expected birth in early November after an eight- to nine-month gestation period. This is big news, and since Nadiri is not an experienced mother, we're taking extra precautions to prepare her. It starts with pre-natal care for the expectant mom. She is currently on a diet created by a nutritionist and receiving supplemental vitamins to help her maintain a healthy weight for a normal delivery. Keepers will need to be able to perform visual checks on the baby to confirm it is thriving, so the work begins now with training Nadiri to present her "baby"—in this case a stuffed burlap object about the size of a newborn. Once the baby comes, all eyes are on those first 72 hours after birth, the most critical time for a

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications McKenna Princing/UW Medicine Gorilla Vip is recovering from sinus surgery performed over the weekend. More than 25 medical specialists joined the zoo’s veterinary team and donated their time and expertise to help the 36-year-old, 430-pound gorilla. Vip remains off view in an enclosure at the gorilla exhibit. McKenna Princing/UW Medicine A similar surgery was performed a year ago on the western lowland gorilla for treatment of a chronic sinus infection. As a result of that successful surgery to remove polyps (growths within the nasal sinuses), Vip was able to breathe normally through his nose for the first time in weeks. In recent days, however, symptoms re-emerged, explained Dr. Darin Collins, Woodland Park Zoo’s director of Animal Health. “It was evident that Vip was experiencing some level of discomfort, likely from a repeat sinus infection. During this second round of surgery, polyps and infection were surgically removed,” sai

Posted by: Marie Manguette, Mbeli Bai Gorilla Study , a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife At Mbeli, we follow twenty-one groups of gorillas that come to feed in the clearing. The number of individuals in a group ranges from just two to around 13. In gorillas, it is generally only the mother that takes care of her infant, with no assistance from the other members of the group. Mom Dinka carrying her male infant Duma on her back.  Photo by Marie Manguette On rare occasions however, we have observed juveniles carrying their siblings on their back or helping them when they are climbing trees. These altruistic behaviors have been observed in only two of the groups followed at Mbeli, and in both female and male juveniles. While rare in the wild, this phenomenon seems quite common in habituated or captive groups of gorillas.  Zulu’s group is one of these groups where juveniles have been observed caring for and supervising their siblings without interruption from the

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Since the passing of our gorilla grand matriarch , Nina, last week, we’ve heard from so many of you who remember her sweet presence—whether it was from one memorable visit that stuck with you or a lifetime of visits that added up to a special place in your heart for the notable dame. Nina, photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo. We want you to know that those visits truly matter. Not just for the time you spend building a powerful connection with nature, but for the positive impact you make—perhaps without even realizing it—for wildlife across the world. That’s because every visit to Woodland Park Zoo helps support our local and international conservation efforts , like those helping to protect endangered western lowland gorillas—just like Nina—in the wild. Blackback Costa, submerged and feeding on mineral rich aquatic plants in a stream in the Mbeli Bai clearing, northern Congo. Photo by Kelly Greenway For 15 years, Woodland Park Zoo

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Beautiful Nina. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. A great grandmother and the bedrock of our gorilla groups, Nina passed away today at the age of 47. The elderly gorilla had received such tender, specialized care from her keepers in her final geriatric years, but old age caught up with her today. After a normal morning of eating and resting, Nina was not visible in any of her favorite spots in the exhibit later in the morning. When the keepers became concerned and started looking for her, she was spotted, not moving, under a large tree. Nina was taken to our veterinary hospital where animal care and veterinary staff made the humane decision to euthanize her. Nina enjoying a birthday treat earlier this year. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Earlier this year many of you joined us for a special celebration in honor of Nina, her silverback mate Pete, as well as orangutan twins, Towan and Chinta, all of whom celebrated their