The baby, born June 26 inside of PECO Primate Reserve, is the first successful birth of this species at the Zoo in 15 years and a major conservation milestone for the critically endangered species
Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to celebrate the public debut of its critically endangered Sumatran orangutan baby. The animal team has determined the baby is a boy and have named him Jambi after a city on the island of Sumatra where this species is native. Born to the Zoo’s 31-year-old female Tua and 28-year-old male, Sugi, on June 26, the infant continues to look strong, and Tua continues to be an excellent mother, nursing and holding the baby at all times.
Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Zoo is proud to announce the birth of a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, the first birth of this species at the Zoo in 15 years, and a significant birth to the population of these animals. Born to the Zoo’s 31-year-old female Tua and 28-year-old male, Sugi, on June 26, the infant continues to look strong, and Tua continues to be an excellent mother, nursing and holding the baby at all times. The animal care team has not yet determined if it is a boy or a girl and a name has not been chosen. Mom and baby are currently setting their own schedule for when they will be visible to guests. They have access to their indoor habitat where visitors may get a glimpse of them but also have access to their bedroom space to spend time alone. The Zoo is planning to have their big public debut sometime in mid-August and invites everyone to join. More details on the celebration to come soon. The baby’s birth is a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding program to ensure the survival of Sumatran orangutans and maintain a genetically diverse population. Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a population of 14,000 left on the island of Sumatra. Primary threats include deforestation and population fragmentation.
Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of two threatened sloth bear cubs. The cubs were born January 2, 2023, at 3:53am and 4:16am to 10-year-old mom Kayla and 10-year-old dad Bhalu. This is the second successful birth of this species at the Zoo in the last four years, and marks the first successful pair of cubs of this species born in more than 30 years at the Zoo. Mom and cubs are doing well and the Zoo's animal team continues to monitor their health via camera in their behind-the-scenes den. Kayla is showing great maternal behavior and has been in constant physical contact with the infants since birth. The sex of the cubs has not yet been determined and names have not been chosen. They will NOT be visible to the public until April when mom decides it is time for them to venture out.
On December 13, Philadelphia Zoo welcomed a new female Francois Langur baby, born to Mei Mei and Chester. Her name is Quý Báu, pronounced "Qwee Bow", meaning “precious,” in Vietnamese. This is the first successful breeding of this species at the Zoo, and the first offspring for parents Mei Mei and Chester.
As a first-time mom, Mei Mei struggled in the beginning, but thanks to advanced planning, input from the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and great response and action from keepers and veterinarians, they were able to get mom and baby back together on day one, and reunited with the group just a few days later.
Ling, Mei Mei’s sister and exhibit mate, is doing a great job, helping mom out, carrying the infant throughout the day and returning to mom to feed, as is expected for this species. Native to Southern China and Northern Vietnam, François langurs are endangered in the wild. Guests will be able to see this family in Zoo360 when the temperatures are 40-degrees or warmer, similar to the temperature in their native regions.
The Philadelphia Zoo’s two new adorable Red Panda cubs recently made their public debut.
Brothers, Yeren and Ping Jing, were born to mom, Spark, and dad, Khumbie, in June. This is the second successful Red Panda litter at Philadelphia Zoo. Twins, Benjamin and Betsey, were born in June of 2015.
Spark is a wonderful mom and is doing a great job caring for her new babies, and the Zoo says all are doing very well.
Photo Credits: Philadelphia Zoo
The birth of this litter is important, as Red Pandas are classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN. The main threats to the species in the wild are habitat destruction, poaching and climate change.
Known for their cinnamon colored fur and bushy, ringed-tail, the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) is native to the mountains of Central China, Nepal and northern Myanmar (Burma).
Yeren and Ping Jing are now on exhibit with their mom Spark each day at Philadelphia Zoo.
On July 21, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden received a female Amur Tiger cub. The cub’s journey to Oklahoma is the result of the combined efforts of two amazing zoo teams and tiger conservation experts.
Born at the Philadelphia Zoo on July 10, the cub is named Zoya, meaning “life” in Russian. Zoya is the first offspring of 10-year-old mother, Koosaka, and 9-year-old father, Grom. Koosaka gave birth to five cubs, a large litter for tigers. Unfortunately, two were stillborn, a third was accidentally injured by Koosaka and did not survive, and a fourth developed a critical gastro intestinal issue that proved fatal, even with medical intervention by Philadelphia Zoo veterinarians.
The surviving cub, Zoya, was not being nurtured by Koosaka. According to experts, a lack of maternal behavior is not uncommon among first-time mother tigers who sometimes neglect or reject cubs. As a result, Philadelphia Zoo’s animal care team bottle-fed and continuously cared for the cub who continued to do well, gaining weight from about 2 pounds at birth to almost 4 pounds at 10 days old.
However, the Philadelphia Zoo’s animal care team was concerned about hand-rearing a single cub without the social opportunities that would be provided with either a mother or littermates.
“With this single cub, we knew that the best scenario for her was to find an opportunity for her to grow up with other tigers,” said Dr. Andy Baker, Philadelphia Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer.
Photo Credits: Gretchen Cole (Image 1); Philadelphia Zoo (2-4); Oklahoma City Zoo (5); Gillian Lang (6,7)
In discussions with colleagues involved in the Tiger Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Oklahoma City Zoo offered to attempt to integrate the Philadelphia Zoo cub with their new litter of Sumatran Tigers.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s litter of three Sumatran Tiger cubs was born just one day before the Philadelphia Zoo’s Amur Tiger litter. Oklahoma’s six-year-old Sumatran Tiger mom, Lola, has been taking very good care of her own cubs.
After consultation between Philadelphia Zoo, the Oklahoma City Zoo, and other AZA colleagues, the teams decided the best option for the cub to grow up in a good social environment was for the Oklahoma City Zoo to attempt to cross-foster Zoya with Lola and her cubs.
Cross-fostering is the process of removing offspring from one mother and transferring them to another lactating mother with offspring of the same approximate age. “Cross-fostering in tigers is unusual, but with less than 500 Amur Tigers in the wild, every cub is important for the species’ survival,” said Dr. Rebecca Snyder, curator of conservation and science, Oklahoma City Zoo.
In 2011, the Oklahoma City Zoo successfully cross-fostered a litter of endangered African Painted Dogs with a Golden Retriever who had recently given birth. However, cross-fostering among tigers is rare, with only a few cases having ever been attempted and documented.
A baby Western Lowland Gorilla was born on June 2 at the Philadelphia Zoo with assistance from a team of veterinarians and human medical specialists.
The baby, a boy, has already integrated with the zoo’s Gorilla troop and can be seen with mom, 17-year-old Kira. This is Kira’s first baby.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Zoo
Mother and baby appear healthy, but will be monitored carefully in the coming weeks and months. Like a newborn human, a baby Gorilla is essentially helpless, relying completely on its mother for care. “We are very excited to welcome Kira’s new baby,” says Dr. Andy Baker, Philadelphia Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer. “This important birth is an opportunity to engage the world in caring about the future of Gorillas in the wild.”
Kira, a 17-year-old female Gorilla, went into labor on June 1, but had not delivered her baby by the next morning. Kira appeared to tire and behaved as if she were feeling worse over the course of the morning and there were no signs of the labor progressing. Typically, Gorilla labor is quick and the mother does not appear tired, distressed, or show symptoms of feeling poorly.
Concerned about the health of both Kira and her baby, Philadelphia Zoo’s veterinary staff contacted a pre-determined team of consultants who were prepared to assist if there were any problems with the pregnancy or delivery. The team of professionals from the veterinary and human medical field included an ob-gyn, surgeons, anesthesiologists and others, from leading area institutions such as University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Once onsite, the medical team examined Kira after she had been placed under anesthesia and determined that she was fully dilated and that the baby was in position for a vaginal delivery.
After 1.5 hours the team delivered a healthy 5lb, 0 oz. baby boy, the process requiring many of the same tools and techniques used for human deliveries, including forceps and episiotomy. While there have been several successful C-section deliveries for Gorillas, the most recent known case of an assisted vaginal delivery occurred in 2000.
Because Kira was recovering from anesthesia, vet staff provided the newborn with initial neonatal care, holding and feeding him through the night. By the next morning, Kira was fully recovered and was quickly reunited with her new baby, and has been continuously cradling and nursing him since.
“Our veterinary team had an advance plan in place that had us prepared for scenarios like this – and in this case that plan, and the skill of our keeper team, enabled a safe delivery for both Kira and her baby,” says Dr. Andy Baker. “We often take advantage of the expertise in Philadelphia to optimize health care for our animals, and working with valued partners such as U of P Health System, Penn Vet, and Jefferson, we were able to intervene and save both lives. It was an anxious and dramatic day at the zoo, but in the end a tremendously rewarding one,” said Baker.
“Though Kira is a first-time mom, we’re not surprised she’s acting like an expert already. She was a great older sister to younger siblings and has been very attentive while our other female Gorilla Honi has raised baby Amani,” says Baker. “Everybody is excited about these two future playmates.”
Western Lowland Gorillas are listed as Critically Endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with threats including habitat destruction due to palm oil and timber plantations as global demand for palm oil and paper continues to rise. The zoo works with the Species Survival Plan® (SSP) program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose goal is to protect and sustain populations of endangered and other species across AZA zoos.
Philadelphia Zoo is pleased to announce that its newest addition, a Western Lowland Gorilla baby, born August 26th…is a girl! The infant and her mother, 22-year-old Honi, are doing well and are currently on exhibit with the rest of their troop in the Zoo’s PECO Primate Reserve.
Gorilla babies solely rely on their mother for care during the first months of life, so Honi is in constant contact with the infant, confidently cradling, cuddling and carrying her 24 hours a day. Dad Motuba is sticking close by to guard and protect the family, a role that male Gorillas typically play in the group dynamic.
The infant lives in PECO Primate Reserve with her mother, 31-year-old father Motuba and another female Gorilla 17-year-old Kira.
Viewing times for the baby may vary. Visitors may see the family on exhibit inside of PECO Primate Reserve, in their outdoor habitat, or traversing the Zoo360 trail system (a campus-wide network of see-through mesh trails that affords more opportunities for animals to roam around and above the Zoo grounds). “Honi is a big fan of Zoo360 and has already carried her baby into the elevated trails,” says Dr. Andy Baker the Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer.
Photo Credits: Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo recently enlisted the global community to help name the newborn, and they are using this opportunity to garner support for gorilla conservation. The Zoo partnered with the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a sanctuary that rehabilitates highly endangered Grauer’s Gorillas (also called Eastern Lowland Gorillas) whose families were killed by poachers.
Online voters were allowed to choose from a list of names honoring orphaned Gorillas being cared for by GRACE. Voters were asked to donate a minimum of $1.00 (with no maximum) per vote, with all of the proceeds benefitting GRACE’s Gorilla welfare and conservation work in DRC. The Philadelphia Zoo is also matching the donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. Voting closed September 29th, and the Zoo plans to announce the winning name next week, via social media.
“We are thrilled to partner with Philadelphia Zoo on this naming campaign and thank them for supporting our efforts with Grauer’s Gorillas in DRC,” says Dr. Sonya Kahlenberg, GRACE Executive Director. “Over the past 20 years, Grauer’s Gorillas have experienced a catastrophic decline of nearly 80%, and if nothing is done, they could be the first great ape to become extinct in the wild. The Zoo’s support will help us give orphan Gorillas a second chance and will boost our work with local communities on conservation education and other programs critical for safeguarding wild Gorillas and their habitat.”
Kim Lengel, the Philadelphia Zoo’s VP for Conservation and Education, said, “We are pleased to support and partner with GRACE. The long-term survival of Gorillas in the wild will require the on-grounds efforts of organizations like GRACE as well as awareness, support and engagement of ‘local action/ global consequences’ on issues like climate change and deforestation-free palm oil, both of which impact Gorillas in parts of their native habitat. We hope that naming Honi’s new baby after an orphaned Gorilla at GRACE, and inviting our global community to select the name, will help make that connection and engage many in the efforts to save Gorillas and other wildlife.”
Both Western Lowland and Grauer’s Gorillas are listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Threats include: poaching, habitat destruction, illegal pet trafficking, and disease.
Grauer’s Gorillas are recognized as one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world by IUCN’s Primate Specialist Group ‘Conservation International’ and the International Primatological Society.
Meet Philadelphia Zoo’s Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs, born on February 21. Together, these four fluffy babies weigh only one-third of a pound, but they add up to a ton of cuteness.
The babies were born to 9-year-old Kiaka and 10-year-old Huey after a breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan. This program seeks to maintain genetically viable populations of rare and endangered animals. Because of her genetic makeup, Kiaka is the most valuable breeding female of her species in the country.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Zoo
An excellent mother, Kiaka carries the babies in her mouth from one nest box to another, a typical behavior as the babies cannot move around on their own for the first few months. The siblings will nurse until they are about five to six months old, but will try solid foods at six to eight weeks of age.
Native to Madagascar, Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to poaching and habitat loss.
Philadelphia Zoo recently announced the birth of two Red Panda cubs. The twins, male and female, were born to parents Basil and Spark (both 5-year-olds), on June 26.
Photo Credits: Philadelphia Zoo
“We are thrilled at the birth of these new cubs,” said Kevin Murphy, Philadelphia Zoo’s General Curator. “The birth is important in the Zoo’s efforts in Red Panda conservation. We work with the Species Survival Plan® (SSP) breeding program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose goal is to manage populations of threatened, endangered and other species across AZA zoos, to maintain long-term genetic and demographic viability. This birth marks an important step towards the plan.”
Mother and twins are doing very well. Spark, an excellent mother, is tending to the very active cubs. The duo are nursing from Spark, as well as eating independently. Their diet consists of fresh bamboo, grapes, apples and biscuits formulated for Red Pandas.
Keepers continue to observe the cubs and their mother, while providing as much privacy as needed. The cubs made their public debut on Wednesday, November 18.
Currently, the Zoo is enlisting the help of Zoo visitors and social media followers to name the Red Panda cubs. Today, November 25, is the final day to vote on the selected names for the twins.