Chimpanzee

Kucheza The Chimp Is Back By Popular Demand And This Time He Meets Dad!

Sedgwick County Zoo's Chimp Mom Mahale was a bit apprehensive, which is exactly what the keepers expected. She wanted Father Moshi to meet Kucheza but only if he kept his distance!

She has allowed him to get closer since the initial introduction but he continues to be incredibly respectful of her space.

***a note about the background noise: there are fans throughout the behind the scenes area for circulation and one of them is right next to this spot. they are not as loud as they seem on camera - microphones just have a way of amplifying wind noise and this happens to be the best spot for filming!


Yep. He’s Still Perfect. And He’s Got a Name!

Yep. He’s still perfect.  The whole world has fallen in love with Mahale and Kucheza, after catching a glimpse of their emotional reunion. Chimpanzees in AZA-accredited institutions like Sedgwick County Zoo receive the highest level of care to meet their physical, emotional, and social needs - including the life-saving decision to deliver Kucheza via emergency C-section.

All of the animals in their care serve as important ambassadors for their species. Mahale and Kucheza have reminded us all that chimpanzees are smart, charismatic, and amazing animals. And they need our help! Small actions - like recycling your old cell phones and using only sustainably-sourced (certified) palm oil and paper products - can help save chimpanzees like Mahale and Kucheza in the wild.

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Learn more about how you can make a difference in chimpanzee conservation: https://scz.org/animal/chimpanzee

Continue reading "Yep. He’s Still Perfect. And He’s Got a Name!" »


Six-month-old Chimp Stevie Meets Her Troop At Last!

Stevie, the 6 month old chimp, is getting to know her new family at Zoo Knoxville. Due to complications at birth, Stevie has been hand raised for most of her life. Recently Stevie was introduced to Daisy and Jambo, two female chimps in her troop. Both adults have shown a strong interest in the young chimp. This is one of the first major steps in preparing Stevie to meet the rest of the chimps at Zoo Knoxville, but for now zoo keepers are keeping a close eye on the growing relationship between Stevie, Daisy and Jambo.

Stevie, Previously on ZooBorns:

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/04/big-news.html

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/05/update-on-stevie-chimpanzee.html

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/07/update-chimpanzee-stevie-10-weeks.html

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/10/stevie-the-5-month-old-chimp-is-taking-some-big-steps-at-zoo-knoxville.html


Chimpanzee Mother Mahale Reunited With Baby!

Donate to SCZ today!: https://tickets.scz.org/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=scz&c=donate

After almost 2 full days,  Sedgwick County Zoo's (Wichita, KS) Chimpanzee Mom Mahale and baby were reunited this morning!

Sedgwick County Zoo’s (Wichita Kansas) Chimpanzee Mahale gave birth to a baby boy two days ago, Nov. 15, via C-section performed by Drs. Whisler and Chibry of College Hill OB-GYN along with the Zoo Veterinary team.

Baby had a bit of trouble getting enough oxygen at birth, so he was being treated in the Zoo’s Vet hospital by animal care staff. Today he was reunited with mom!

We’ll keep you updated on his progress!

Chimpanzee baby


It’s a BOY!

Sedgwick County Zoo’s (Wichita Kansas) Chimpanzee Mahale gave birth to a baby boy yesterday, Nov. 15, via C-section performed by Drs. Whisler and Chibry of College Hill OB-GYN along with the Zoo Veterinary team.

Baby had a bit of trouble getting enough oxygen at birth, so he is being treated in the Zoo’s Vet hospital by animal care staff. Today he is doing extremely well and should be able to be reunited with mom very soon!

Chimpanzee baby

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Lisoko Is Nearly 8 Months Old!

ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen’s chimp infant Lisoko is now almost 8 months old. He’s slowly becoming more and more independent. Mother Jahaga leaves him more and more often to 7-year-old Dayo, who proudly carries the little one around and even climbs with him to the top of the tree. As you can see in the video, he takes care of Lisoko very nicely. Also, Yumma and even the 5-year-old Kojo are now allowed to go for a romp on the exhibit with Lisoko. Lisoko is still being nursed, but he is already eating solid foods like salad or carrots. He can already walk on all fours. However, when his mother as well as the other chimpanzees move too far away from him, he is not fully independent yet and he calls for Jahaga.

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Continue reading "Lisoko Is Nearly 8 Months Old!" »


Stevie The 5-Month-Old Chimp Is Taking Some Big Steps At Zoo Knoxville!

Due to complications at birth, Stevie had to be hand-raised. To integrate back more easily into the troop, it is crucial for a hand-reared infant chimp to develop normal social behaviors early on.

Stevie currently has a feeding at midnight. This is something she will need to be able to drop so that the routines of the other chimps are not disrupted by this late-night feeding.

In the meantime, Stevie is hitting all her milestones and getting used exploring her home!

Chimpanzees are being driven to extinction by habitat loss, disease, and their biggest threat, illegal poaching. Zoo Knoxville is working in partnership with 32 other zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to ensure a healthy population remains as hope for the future.