New Male Gorilla @ Hogle Zoo (SLC: June 24)

NEW MALE GORILLA TO MAKE HIS PUBLIC DEBUT AT UTAH’S HOGLE ZOO

(Salt Lake City, UT) – A male western lowland gorilla, an endangered species,

will debut to the general public on Thursday, June 24, 2010. Named Husani, the

gorilla has been in quarantine in the Zoo’s new L.S. Skaggs Animal Health

Center since arriving from the Birmingham Zoo last month.

Media opportunities for interviews with ape keeper staff and to get video of Husani inside the great ape building will be available next Thursday (June 24) from 9 until 11 a.m.

FOR ACCESS, ALL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA MUST PRESENT CREDENTIALS AT GUEST SERVICES AND BE ESCORTED ON GROUNDS BY ZOO MARKETING STAFF.
PLEASE, NO CHILDREN.

Husani weighs 340 lbs. and was born at the Bronx Zoo in December of 1991. In

1998, he transferred to the Gulf Breeze Zoo, located near Pensacola Florida,

until moving on to the Birmingham Zoo. At 18 years of age, he is considered a

young silverback. He has a silver coat and is taller (around 5’ 8”) and leaner than

the Zoo’s other and long time male gorilla resident, Tino, who is considered

shorter and more stout. According to Animal Care Supervisor, Andy Henderson,

“Husani should fill out more as he develops and matures. He has a very calm

demeanor and interacts well with the keeper staff. He’s a good

looking young male.”


Hogle Zoo will be embarking on a new challenge of managing a bachelor troop of

gorillas. With more than 50% of births being males and the strategy of managing

gorillas in mixed sexed groups, with one male and multiple females, there is a

strong need for AZA institutions to work with the Gorilla Species Survival Plan

(SSP) to manage males in bachelor troops.


Male gorillas live solitary lives or in bachelor groups in the wild. Most successful

bachelor groups are developed by introducing male gorillas when they are black

backs or younger. The Zoo plans to proceed with a long, structured and slow

introduction with the other male gorilla in order to increase the probability of

managing Tino and Husani together.


About the Association of Zoos & Aquariums: Utah’s Hogle Zoo is one of only 218 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information visit www.aza.org.