Sunday, July 22, 2018

Smithsonian National Zoo: Great Ape House (from June 16)

The National Zoo has a large Great Ape House that is home to Sumatran/Bornean Orangutan hybrids, Bornean Orangutans and Western Lowland Gorillas.  The Orangutans also have habitat space in another area of the zoo that they access via open air highline towers.


While various species can cross-breed (Orangutans, Giraffe, Tigers) in a world where the genus species are fast becoming extinct, a priority is placed on maintaining genetic purity and diversity.  The two groups of Orangutan include a hybrid group of 4 animals, and a pair of Bornean Orangutan who have produced a male offspring that is currently two-years-old.
The Western Lowland Gorilla exterior habitat.  This year a baby was born to a pair where the female was brought to the zoo from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle to ensure greater genetic diversity.  There are approximately 350 captive Gorilla in North American zoos, all of which have been born within the zoo system.  Some people might think that animals in zoos are captured in the wild, but for 99% of all animals in zoos that simply is not true.  





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