The death of Koko the signing gorilla in June provides an opportunity to assess her place in the story of ape language experiments and in the animal protection movement. Prior to Koko, Washoe the chimpanzee was the first famous great ape to be experimentally taught a version of American Sign Language (ASL). Koko was the […]
Continue ReadingThe shooting of a 17-year-old male gorilla at the Cincinnati zoo after a child fell into his enclosure provoked a huge international reaction. The reaction was comparable to previous outpourings of anger and sadness following the killing of Cecil the lion by an American trophy hunter, and the killing of Marius the young giraffe by […]
Continue ReadingA Very Important Primate arrived at Melbourne Zoo when western lowland gorilla Kimya delivered her firstborn in the Gorilla House night dens. Zoo Director Kevin Tanner welcomed the first gorilla birth since 2000, the result of the international introduction of two young gorillas born on the opposite sides of the world thanks to the endangered […]
Continue ReadingA new gorilla named Mjukuu was born at Taronga Zoo on Tuesday October 28. The baby boy was born to female Mbeli and male Kibali, and things are going well according to gorilla keeper Vera Nedved. “Kibali is starting to take his role of silverback more seriously,” she said. “He briefly checked his son after […]
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