Germany: Rostock Zoo Looking Forward to Birth of Three Ape Babies

Rostock Zoo awaits new life in the orangutan and gorilla groups living in the zoo’s “Darwineum“ tropical house. The pregnancy of the orangutan female Sunda, who already raised five babies, was a surprise for the keepers and the zoo officials, since she is already 43 years old. Furthermore, the two Gorilla ladies Yene (19) and Zola (11) will welcome their first babies. “We are very happy about the pregnancies of our three ape females and are looking forward to the births. All three of them are doing very well and there are no signs to be concerned about,“ comments Antje Angeli, curator at Rostock Zoo. “[…] The first birth is expected to take place in February, but it could also happen at a later date in March or April. […],“ she adds.

This news from Rostock are even better news in light of the tragic event at Krefeld Zoo on New Years Eve, when over 30 apes lost their lives in a sudden fire that destroyed the ape house completely. Meanwhile the board of Krefeld Zoo decided to continue the conservation program for apes and to therefore redesign and rebuild the ape house in the next years. (eap)