Busch Gardens Expecting Baby Gorilla This Spring

After a successful gorilla birth last December, Busch Gardens® Tampa is excited to announce the pregnancy of 27-year-old endangered western lowland gorilla, Mary. Mary is expected to give birth in March 2015.

See a video ultrasound of pregnant gorilla Mary by clicking here or on Busch Gardens’ YouTube Channel.

BUSCH_GARDENS_TAMPA - BOLINGO with MARY

Mary came to Busch Gardens in February 2010 from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas with daughter Pele, who gave birth to a male this past December. While Mary has given birth five times, this is her first pregnancy at Busch Gardens, and would be the park’s third successful birth. Bolingo, the suspected sire, was Busch Gardens’ first gorilla birth in 2005.

This pregnancy is part of Busch Gardens’ participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP). The mission of the SSP is to cooperatively manage specific, and typically threatened or endangered, species populations within AZA-accredited facilities. Busch Gardens’ participation helps create genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations to guarantee the long-term future of these animals.

Baby Gorilla Naming Contest

Busch Gardens is giving fans the chance to name its current baby male gorilla! By simply logging on to the Busch Gardens Tampa Facebook page, fans can cast their vote for their favorite name.  The naming poll will take place now through Monday, Jan. 26.

Busch Gardens is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™, one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a worldwide leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company cares for one of the largest animal collections in North America and has helped lead advances in the care of species in zoological facilities and in the conservation of wild populations.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.