Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Jacksonville Zoo News

A new bonobo baby(she is out on exhibit already)!!
Bonobo birth at Jacksonville Zoo reinforces this group's cooperation | jacksonville.com
She's not just any new mom. She's the oldest new mom.

At 42, the Jacksonville Zoo's Lorel became the country's most-senior bonobo mother when she delivered a healthy female infant Tuesday. Christened "Baker" by Sara and Brooks Watkins, who outbid others for that right at the recent ExZooberation fundraiser, the infant and mother explored the outside world for the first time together Thursday.

Lorel, who was on inside birth-watch for about six weeks, reacquainted herself with the enclosure while introducing Baker to her new surroundings. She walked short distances upright, climbed atop the wooden platform to squat and rest, or lay on a ground straw bed.

The whole time, her arms were wrapped securely around the infant, which clung tightly to her chest and occasionally suckled. Now and again, Baker raised her tiny head, sniffed and squinted around.

The pregnancy was a joyful surprise to the zoo's keepers.

"We didn't think Lorel could get pregnant again," said Tracy Fenn, the zoo's supervisor of mammals. "We started planning reproductive assessment to see if she was post-reproductive because of her age. But as soon as we started planning, she had a positive pregnancy test."

Lorel, whose birthday was April 17, is the third-oldest bonobo in North America. This is her eighth offspring and third since arriving here in 1998.

It's the zoo's fifth bonobo birth and second in less than two years. Baker's arrival raises the zoo's bonobo population to 12 — nine females and three males — making it one of the largest of the eight zoos in the country that house bonobos.

DNA testing will be used to determine the father, though Fenn thinks it's Akili, their 30-year-old primary breeding male.

Lorel's advanced age made close monitoring a priority, so the zoo worked since November with Tracy Moegenburg, a sonographer with the Mayo Clinic and founder of Animal Images, which specializes in ultrasound for animals.

At a recent pre-birth ultrasound session inside the ape house, Lorel squatted belly-down in an overhead cage, sipping diluted grape juice from a squeeze bottle held by one of her trainers, Sabrina Barnes, who stood on a stepladder.

Moegenburg stood directly below, reaching overhead to apply the ultrasound probe to Lorel's belly. Next to Moegenburg stood Nancy Kitchen, another bonobo trainer, operating the laptop-sized ultrasound machine. Fenn stood nearby monitoring the process and reinforcing Lorel with an occasional, "Good girl, momma."

Kitchen and Barnes used positive reinforcement training strategies to teach Lorel to present her belly and stay in position during the 20- to 30-minute sessions.

"What's really great is Lorel's been so accepting and comfortable around Tracy from the beginning," said Fenn.

Looking on with great interest during the session was Kuni — who had an ultrasound in 2009 while pregnant with Neely Ann, the last bonobo born at the zoo. She cradled Neely Ann in her arms as she watched from a nearby enclosure, occasionally breaking into excited, high-pitched screaming over the proceedings.

She was joined by other bonobos throughout the ape house, as well as a great ape of a different species outside. The huge silhouette of the zoo's 500-pound silverback gorilla, Quito, loomed as he peered through a small hole in the door to see what all the fuss was about.

"He's watching what's going on because it's obviously very interesting," joked Fenn. "He wants to stay in the loop."

Bonobos are closely related to chimpanzees and were the last of the great apes to be identified, around 1929. They are among the world's most threatened species, with an estimated 5,000 to 50,000 living in just one dwindling location in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. There are about 290 captive bonobos worldwide.

"Lorel represents not only an endangered species but one that is so rare there still isn't a lot known about them," said Tony Vecchio, the zoo's executive director.

Bonobos, along with chimpanzees, are our closest relatives and live in unique matriarchal societies that reinforce cooperation. They exhibit little aggression toward one another, instead resolving conflicts through sexual behavior. Child-rearing is shared among all group members.

"Lorel's parenting style is very protective," said Fenn. "Her offspring tend to be somewhat dependent because she keeps tight control over them. This differs from Kuni's style, which is more relaxed and results in more independent offspring."

This seemed to be the case during their first outing, as Lorel covered Baker protectively while other curious bonobos moved close for a better view. Meanwhile, 17-month-old Neely Ann was freely exploring the enclosure several feet from Kuni.

Lorel and Baker will be on display throughout the weekend.
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The zoo's baby boom continues as 4 warthog piglets were born Sunday night. I didn't get to ask the sexes.
 
I knew our female was in love with our male. Its great to have all of these babies, there is an Amur Leopard, a Greater Kudu, a Giant Anteater, a Grevy's Zebra, Bongos, a Giraffe, a Bonobo, a cheetah cub that is in Busch Gardens, and now Warthogs!
 
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Here is an article on the new babies :)
Warthog Piglets Running Amuck at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Zoo and Aquarium Visitor News
Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ female warthog, named Tale, gave birth to her first litter of four piglets on April 5, 2011. Tale was born in April 2007 and came to the Jacksonville Zoo in October 2008. The infants’ one-year-old father, named Lenny, was born in April 2009 and arrived in Jacksonville in August 2010. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Yellow Species Survival Plan recommended the warthogs for breeding. These four births bring the total number of warthogs born at Jacksonville Zoo to 15. The mother and her piglets are doing very well and are now officially on exhibit in the Plains of East Africa at the Zoo.

Names for the piglets were selected by the winners of a silent auction at ExZOOberation, the Zoo’s popular evening fundraiser, held this past April 16. They are as follows:

Idwal – named by Hugh and Mary Owen

Bodie & Chico – named by Katie Buckley

Frenchy – named by the Barrow family

“Baby warthogs are a zoo director’s dream-come-true,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “They are so cute and so active they can’t help but draw a crowd of happy zoo visitors.”

Although warthogs look fierce, they are actually herbivores who prefer to flee rather than fight. Members of the same family as the domestic pig, warthogs present a much different appearance. They have large, flat heads covered with “warts,” which are actually protective bumps, and four sharp tusks. They eat grasses and plants and use their snouts to dig or “root” for roots or bulbs. When startled or threatened, warthogs can run surprisingly fast at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour!
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Local newstation ran a story saying a baby white rhino was born at the zoo, but I googled it and can't find anything. If legit, great news!
 
They are probably in quarantine still or in the back area of the nile crocodiles. I went to the zoo yesterday for the volunteer meeting. I also went and visited the zoo and saw the baby warthogs! Cute as can be. The Southern Screamer also laid an egg and made a ground nest. No other updates for the day but I haven't seen the Speke's Gazelle for years now and I thought they will go on exhibit with the giraffes but never were out. I wonder what happen to them.
 
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The Jacksonville Zoo got four new penguins!
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Accepts Rescued Magellanic Penguins Zoo and Aquarium Visitor News
Jacksonville, FL – It was a long journey for four young Magellanic penguins who are thought to have started their migration from the southern tip of South America, became stranded on a beach in Brazil and are now living at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

The penguins were among 13 fledglings that washed up on the shore at Rio de Janeiro. The frail and emaciated birds were rescued by staff members of Niteroi Zoo and taken to their rehabilitation center. After the penguins had recovered, because of their young age and the length of stay at the rehabilitation center, they were considered “imprinted” and unable to survive in the wild as they had lost their fear of humans.

Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ facility, contacted the Niteroi Zoo and the Brazilian government to offer to assist in finding safe, permanent homes for the penguins in the United States. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was one of the four AZA zoos selected.

“There are lots of ways the zoo helps endangered species. But, it’s not often we are in a position to rescue wild animals in trouble,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “This was one of those rare opportunities for us to step forward and create a home for these fledglings that somehow lost their mother. We’re thrilled that they’ll be joining our popular penguin exhibit.”

More and more incidents like this are occurring along the Atlantic Coast of South America. These penguins are not normally found much farther north than the Falkland Islands. The locations of their food sources are changing, perhaps due to climate change, and they have to travel farther in search of food.

The new penguins have gone through quarantine and after being introduced to the Zoo’s flock, will be released into their new home, the Tuxedo Coast penguin exhibit.
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I got some great news, I just got accepted into volunteer program at the zoo and will be working with the bird department this summer and I have some updates for you guys:
-About 4 new White Winged Wood Duck hatch at the zoo about 2 weeks ago and on exhibit.
-Our male Goliath Heron and female Cheetah left for another zoo for breeding
-Stingrays and 2 penguins are still in quarantine.
-The two aviaries on the Elephant Plaza have finished their renovation and the residents are returning to their homes
-The zoo might possibly Artificially Inseminate our female Elephants.
-The zoo might be getting some more Flamingos from Miami
-Inca Terns, Roseate Spoonbills, and Penguins are nesting
-The Lappet-Faced Vultures/Marabou Storks might possibly go to the Okapi exhibit
-The zoo wants to get more Cassowaries to start a breeding group and have the breeding group by the River.
 
I got some great news, I just got accepted into volunteer program at the zoo and will be working with the bird department this summer and I have some updates for you guys:
-About 4 new White Winged Wood Duck hatch at the zoo about 2 weeks ago and on exhibit.
-Our male Goliath Heron and female Cheetah left for another zoo for breeding
-Stingrays and 2 penguins are still in quarantine.
-The two aviaries on the Elephant Plaza have finished their renovation and the residents are returning to their homes
-The zoo might possibly Artificially Inseminate our female Elephants.
-The zoo might be getting some more Flamingos from Miami
-Inca Terns, Roseate Spoonbills, and Penguins are nesting
-The Lappet-Faced Vultures/Marabou Storks might possibly go to the Okapi exhibit
-The zoo wants to get more Cassowaries to start a breeding group and have the breeding group by the River.
 
I got some great news, I just got accepted into volunteer program at the zoo and will be working with the bird department this summer and I have some updates for you guys:
-About 4 new White Winged Wood Duck hatch at the zoo about 2 weeks ago and on exhibit.
-Our male Goliath Heron and female Cheetah left for another zoo for breeding
-Stingrays and 2 penguins are still in quarantine.
-The two aviaries on the Elephant Plaza have finished their renovation and the residents are returning to their homes
-The zoo might possibly Artificially Inseminate our female Elephants.
-The zoo might be getting some more Flamingos from Miami
-Inca Terns, Roseate Spoonbills, and Penguins are nesting
-The Lappet-Faced Vultures/Marabou Storks might possibly go to the Okapi exhibit
-The zoo wants to get more Cassowaries to start a breeding group and have the breeding group by the River.
 
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Congradulations, JaxElephant on being accepted into the volunteer program.
The three female elephants are all above breeding age and i believe all have problems that the AZA took them off breeding recamondations. Maybe we will get some younger females for Ali(Male).
Glad to see Jax Zoo incorporating more species into the exhibits.
 
Went yesterday the Nile Croc exhibit is currently closed for repair and it seems the whole exhibit was drained. Didn't see any crocs in the side pens. Perhaps the zoo is going to place the slender snouted crocs on exhibit instead.
 
The zoo should work to get the female elephant Ali was with at Neverland! Her name is Baba (also 19) and her companion susie is 24, it would work for the population as a whole to get them both into the breeding program.
 
Here are some more updates!
-There is a Buffalo Weaver fledgling out on exhibit
-The male White Winged Wood Duck is introduced back with mom and all 7 seven ducklings and all went well.
-Another Bonobo Baby!
Jacksonville zoo welcomes baby bonobo | jacksonville.com
A baby bonobo born last week made its public debut at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens this morning.

The unnamed female baby was born to 24-year-old Lori. She is the second bonobo born at the zoo this spring.

She was born June 15, following two hours of labor.

The birth had been anticipated since Lori tested positive for pregnancy on Nov. 8 and birth watch began on June 7. Bonobo keepers use human home pregnancy tests to monitor breeding females for pregnancy.

The female bonbo is the sixth bonobo born at the zoo and is Lori’s third offspring. Lori came to Jacksonville on Oct. 23, 2008, with her son Jumanji, daughter Muhdeblu, and male partner Akili.

DNA paternity testing using hair samples will be done in the coming months to verify the sire of the new infant. Bonobo keepers strongly suspect that Akili, the group's primary breeding male, is the sire. Testing will rule out the possibility of Mabruki, secondary breeding male, being the father.

The zoo’s bonobo population include three males and ten females, making it the third largest group in the United States. Bonobos are the least-studied and most recently discovered of the Great Apes.

With less than 200 bonobos in the globally managed population, the captive bonobo population serves as a “safety net” to the wild population, which is threatened with extinction, according to a release from the zoo.
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By popular demand Dinoalive has been prolonged until after the July 4th weekend. The extra cash flow should allow the tiger exhibit to finally begin construction.
 
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