According to the New York Times, in early July an experimental coronavirus vaccine for animals began making its rounds at the Oakland Zoo in California. During the course of the summer, about 100 zoo animals are going to receive the vaccine, including mountain lions, ferrets, bears, and tigers. The veterinary pharmaceutical company Zoetis is donating […]
Tag: gorillas
Tiger with Collar Wandering in Houston Neighborhood Caught on Video
A tiger creeping around a Houston neighborhood was caught on video recently. A video sent to local station KHOU-11 shows a tiger with a collar in their owner’s front yard. Police responded to the incident. In the video, a man is seen waving a gun at the animal. “This is about a tiger. I’m on […]
Six gorilla rangers killed in ambush at DR Congo’s Virunga national park
Armed men have killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga national park, a sanctuary for endangered mountain gorillas, the park said. The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear, said Olivier Mukisya, a Virunga spokesman. Previous attacks against the rangers have been […]
First COVID-19 cases in zoo gorillas raise alarm about wild populations
Two gorillas at San Diego Zoo in California have tested positive for COVID-19, in the first reported cases of great apes contracting the novel coronavirus. Three of the primates showed symptoms as of this week, and zoo authorities have not ruled out other troop members also being infected. Since the pandemic broke out last year, […]
Coronavirus is a Threat to Endangered Primates
Research found that endangered primates including the Sumatran orangutan and western lowland gorilla are vulnerable to coronavirus infection because of shared genetic similarities to humans. Like the tigers at the Bronx zoo that likely caught the coronavirus from zookeepers, scientists say the potential for humans to give the virus to endangered animals is likely. Study […]
For the world’s rarest gorillas, a troubled sanctuary
George Mgbang battles to rein in his anger whenever he encounters wire snares, newly cleared farms, empty cartridges, hunting camps, loggers, or shotgun-wielding hunters during his regular patrols in Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS). For the past eight years, Mgbang, 42, has toiled to stop these threats from taking over the 100-square-kilometer (39-square-mile) sanctuary in […]
Petition: Help Free Gorilla Kept in Department Store Zoo for Thirty Years!
While chimpanzees and bonobos are understood to be the animals that are most closely related to human beings, gorillas are not far off. From one look at a gorilla, it’s not hard to imagine. Gorillas are highly intelligent; they often use tools to perform various tasks and have a well-developed communication system. They also exhibit […]
Rafiki, Uganda’s rare silverback mountain gorilla, killed by hunters
One of Uganda’s best known mountain gorillas, Rafiki, has been killed. Four men have been arrested, and they face a life sentence or a fine of $5.4m (£4.3m) if found guilty of killing an endangered species. Investigations showed that Rafiki was killed by a sharp object that penetrated his internal organs. There are just over […]