Thursday, May 10, 2007
I'm sure Eler Beth and I will be paying a few visits to The Louisville Zoo this summer, so I decided to learn something new about one of their exhibits. A few years ago they added Gorilla Forest, and it is still one of our favorite exhibits to visit. So I did a little research on Gorillas.
A lot of the information I already knew (had learned and retained) from previous visits to Gorilla Forest, but I did learn a few new things or was reminded of things I had learned and hadn't retained.
I knew that gorillas are being hunted for food and trophies in their natural habitats, and that those habitats are being destroyed for farmland, fuel and housing. Although their main predator is man, they are sometimes preyed upon by leopards.
Another new thing I re-learned is that they can live up to 50 years in captivity as opposed to up to 40 years in the wild. The name "gorilla" means hairy person, and the name came from an explorer from ancient Carthage almost 2500 years ago.
There are three sub-species of Gorilla -- the mountain gorilla, the Western lowland gorilla, and the Eastern lowland gorilla. The gorillas in The Louisville Zoo are captive-born, Western Lowland Gorillas, which is the species found in most zoos. A gorilla social group is lead by one male, commonly called a Silverback. Even if the group is all male, it will be lead by one silverback. I also learned that although a gorilla's head is larger than a human's, it's brain is smaller.
The following is from The Louisville Zoo web site:
About Gorilla Forest
The award-winning four-acre Gorilla Forest is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken at the Louisville Zoo. This multi-faceted exhibit immerses you, the visitor, into the world of gorillas. Whether you are searching along the Discovery Trail or stopping at Hippo Falls or discovering the gorillas in one of their three habitats, you are in the gorilla’s realm.
In addition to being the home of 11 western lowland gorillas and 2 pygmy hippos, Gorilla Forest provides new environmental education spaces and programming opportunities. Through its innovative approach this exhibit ties together the themes of animals, habitats, and the human culture of Africa.
I'm looking forward to our next visit! I'll be sure to take and post pictures when we go.
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