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New gorilla arrives at N.C. Zoo

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

(Updated 2:49 pm)

Staff Reports

ASHEBORO — Jamani, a 10-year-old female gorilla, arrived at the North Carolina Zoo Wednesday from the San Diego Zoo.

Jamani is the first of two female gorillas that will be moved to the N.C. Zoo this year. Acacia, a 15-year-old from the Oklahoma City Zoo, will arrive in early February.

Jamani arrived via cargo jet at Piedmont Triad International Airport about 6 p.m. Wednesday and was transported by truck to Asheboro, where she settled into quarantine facilities. All new primates arriving at the zoo are required to go through a lengthy quarantine period before being introduced to their exhibits.

The N.C. Zoo lost three female gorillas to medical problems during 2009, including two to cancer in late December. The two new females will eventually join 18-year-old male Nkosi in the zoo’s outdoor Forest Glade gorilla habitat.

Accompanying Photos

Courtesy of the N.C. Zoo

Photo Caption: Jamani, a 10-year-old female gorilla from the San Diego Zoo, settles into her quarantine facilities at the N.C. Zoo’s Hanes Veterinary Medical Center.

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Dogwood

January 14, 2010 - 3:53 pm EST

Swahili has the word jamii meaning family; communitiy; society; and more. How is Jamani's name translated? She is welcomed.

d_random

January 14, 2010 - 8:20 pm EST

It is a tragedy that an animal that is so intelligent and similar to humans (DNA 98%–99% identical) is doomed to live in a small artificial enclosure the rest of it's life. Zoos will never compare with the natural habitat the animals were meant to be in.

nature

January 14, 2010 - 9:12 pm EST

I second that. I dont know how we humans can get pleasure out of that.. instead of visiting their habitat..a free world... we keep em tied down.. dont care how the setup is.. its still contained... need to leave them where they are and invest in protecting them there.. Having them here to raise money to protect others there is a lousy self centered thing..