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SEATTLE - Woodland Park Zoo has launched a 24-hour birth watch for two pregnant western lowland gorillas, Olympia and Jamani, who are both due to give birth in May.
This will be the second offspring for both mothers, but the first for the father, a silverback named Nadaya.
Woodland Park Zoo teams began 24-hour monitoring for two pregnant gorillas expected to give birth at the Seattle zoo later this month.
Zookeepers say they are using a specialized ultrasound probe that connects to smartphones to monitor fetal heart rates and growth.
Left to right are western lowland gorillas at Woodland Park Zoo, Olympia and Jamani. The birth watch for the pregnant gorillas has started with Olympia due to give birth May 19 and Jamani May 24. (Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo)
Woodland Park Zoo begins 24-Hour birth watch
What we know:
The zoo's animal health and gorilla care teams are preparing for the arrival of two healthy babies. Olympia is due May 19, while Jamani is expected to give birth on May 24. To ensure a safe delivery, volunteers are observing the gorillas remotely via cameras in their bedrooms overnight to track behavioral changes and signs of labor. During the day, keepers are keeping an extra close watch on the pair while they are in their outdoor habitat.
The backstory:
Both Olympia and Jamani arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in 2022. They previously lived together at the North Carolina Zoo, where they both gave birth to sons weeks apart in 2012. The father of the upcoming babies is Nadaya, a silverback, who moved to Seattle from the Saint Louis Zoo in 2022. While this is the second pregnancy for the females, these will be the first offspring for Nadaya.
By the numbers:
The zoo currently cares for 11 western lowland gorillas divided into two separate family groups. The gestation period for a gorilla is eight and a half months. To keep the expectant mothers healthy, the care team provides a specific diet and supplemental vitamins to help them maintain a healthy weight.
Advanced technology used for gorilla prenatal care
"We have been using Butterfly Network’s ultrasound probe to monitor Jamani’s and Olympia’s pregnancies, and we’re pleased to report that the images indicate normal development up to this point," said Dr. Tim Storms, Director of Animal Health at Woodland Park Zoo. Animal Care Manager Arden Robert continued, saying that the gorillas are "exemplary patients" who remain calm during exams, even being rewarded with treats like grapes, yogurt and applesauce.
What we don't know:
While the zoo has confirmed both fetuses are developing normally, the sex of the two baby gorillas has not yet been determined or released to the public.
The 24-hour monitoring will continue until both births are complete. Veterinarians will continue to use the ultrasound technology to track fetal movement and cardiac function as the due dates of May 19 and May 24 approach.
The Source: Information in this article came from the Woodland Park Zoo.
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