ZOO MIAMI SILVERBACK GORILLAS TO MAKE PUBLIC DEBUT!

For several months, the gorilla exhibit at Zoo Miami has been vacant while staff made a series of renovations and modifications. These improvements were being made in anticipation of housing two new male gorillas that arrived from the Sedgwick County Zoo on May 20th and have been in quarantine awaiting the completion of that work so that they could be introduced onto the exhibit. That day has arrived and the two bachelor brothers are expected to make their official public debut tomorrow at 10:00 AM at the newly remodeled exhibit! “Shango,” is 28 years old and was born at the San Francisco Zoo on March 11, 1989 and then transferred to the Sedgwick County Zoo in May of 2004 where he has resided until arriving at Zoo Miami this past May. He was accompanied by his younger brother, “Barney,” who is 23 years old and was born on October 12, 1993. He was also born at the San Francisco Zoo and moved with “Shango” to the Sedgwick County Zoo in May of 2004. Western lowland gorillas are a critically endangered species found in dense forests of the Congo Basin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and Gabon. Males can stand over 5 feet tall and weigh over 400 pounds with females being significantly smaller and weighing approximately 150 - 200 pounds. They are vegetarians and generally not aggressive, often being referred to as “gentle giants.” The term “silverback” is given to adult males that develop gray/silver hair on their backs once they are sexually mature. Shango and Barney have come to Zoo Miami as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommendation with the hope that females will become available in the future to help contribute towards a carefully planned captive breeding program. SSP programs are led by experts who work collaboratively with AZA accredited institutions to maintain genetic diversity and long-term sustainability of select species of threatened and endangered animals under human care. Media wishing to catch the first moments of the gorilla’s introduction to their new exhibit should arrive at Zoo Miami no later than 9:45 AM so that they can be escorted to the exhibit in time for the introduction at 10:00 AM. All media should report to the Zoo Administration Building where they will be met and escorted.