Pioneering Fertility Treatment results in Successful Gorilla Birth
Salome, a western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at Bristol Zoo Gardens has successfully given birth to a healthy baby following a course of ground-breaking fertility treatment. The baby, yet to be named or sexed, was born on 15 December 2006 by natural birth and is suckling well. Though this is the second baby Salome has mothered it has been nearly 20 years since her first baby was born. Because of Salome’s advancing years and the length of time since her last baby, keepers are carefully monitoring both mother and baby to ensure everything is well.
The birth, the result of pioneering fertility treatment for gorillas developed and administered by Sharon Redrobe, Head of Veterinary Services at Bristol Zoo Gardens, heralds a new advance in the understanding of captive breeding for the species. For the first time ever, the condition known as diminished ovarian reserve – a condition also affecting fertility in humans – has been diagnosed and treated in gorillas, using methods and medicine that still allowed for natural mating.
It was discovered that although 30 year-old Salome, had been coming into oestrus and was appearing to mate successfully she had not been ovulating. However, it was a key priority for the Zoo that any fertility treatment had to ensure that mating and conception was as natural and as close to how it would be in the wild and as little interference as possible. Following extensive research and the study of various fertility treatments available, Sharon consulted gynaecologist David Cahill, Senior Consultant Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Bristol. Following discussions and advice it was decided to use clomifene, a common fertility drug used by women to kick start Salome’s ovulation.
Mel Gage, Senior Overseer of Primates at Bristol Zoo Gardens, reports:
“This is such a great end to the year. To have a second successful gorilla birth at the Zoo and to know that clomifene can be used in the fertility treatment of gorillas is a major boost to the international breeding programme for these magnificent animals. The new baby is incredibly cute and Salome is being a very attentive mum and father Jock is being very protective of his family troop – we couldn’t have hoped for more.”
The gorillas at Bristol Zoo Gardens are part of an international conservation breeding programme for the western lowland gorilla. Dr Jo Gipps, Director of Bristol Zoo Gardens, explains: “Being part of dedicated captive breeding programme is essential for ensuring the survival of such a significant species. Sadly western lowland gorillas are facing serious losses in the wild caused by a number of issues including forest destruction for logging, diseases such as the recent outbreak of ebola and the terrible slaughter of primates for the illegal bushmeat trade. Salome’s baby represents an important contribution to the next generation of gorillas and hope for the long-term conservation of these incredible creatures. The Zoo’s conservation efforts are mirrored by our support of and work with the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund, which cares for gorillas and chimpanzees orphaned by the illegal trade in bushmeat. ”
Visitors will be able to see Salome and her new baby on Bristol Zoo Gardens’ Gorilla Island, where they can also learn about the Zoo’s conservation work to protect gorillas in the wild. Bristol Zoo Gardens has for many years supported the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF), a charity working hard to prevent primate extinction in Cameroon, through caring for confiscated orphans of the bushmeat trade while educating people about habitat destruction and the consequences of the bushmeat trade.
Bristol Zoo Gardens is also home to Salome’s companion, Romina, famous for undergoing the first ever cataract operation performed in Europe on an adult gorilla. This enabled her to interact more effectively with the other gorillas and resulted in the birth of Namoki in 2005 following her mating successfully with the 24-year-old silverback male Jock who is now proud father of two.
Notes to the Editor:
Salome:
• Salome was in fact conceived at Bristol Zoo Gardens in 1975, but was born on 16 July in 1976 at London Zoo
• Salome is a very genetically valuable gorilla as her father’s parents came from the wild
• April 1988 Salome gave birth to her first baby at Chessington Zoo
• Salome arrived at Bristol Zoo from Chessington Zoo in November 1998
• Started fertility treatment beginning of 2004
Gorillas at Bristol Zoo Gardens
• This is the fourth gorilla to be born at Bristol Zoo Gardens
• There are three adult western lowland gorillas in the group at Bristol Zoo Gardens: Jock, a silverback male and two female gorillas, Salome and Romina and Romina’s offspring Namoki
• Jock joined the zoo’s breeding group of western lowland gorillas in July 2003
Gorilla Biology
• Western lowland gorillas come from an area of dense forest and swamp which covers SE Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and the SW Central African Republic in Central Africa
• Gorillas mainly eat fruit (in season) but also seeds, leaves, bark, stems and insects. They live to about 50 years, with males growing to 1.7m (about 5’7’’), weighing approximately 170kg (about 26 stones), females grow to 1.5m (about 5’) and weigh about 100kg (about 15 stones). Males mature at about 10 years old when they start to develop grey or silver hair on the back and thighs - hence the term ‘silverback’
Conservation
• Western lowland gorillas are seriously threatened in the wild. The forests where they live are being exploited for their timber and gorillas are also hunted for their meat and for trophies
• Dr Bryan Carroll of Bristol Zoo Gardens and Chair of the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) bushmeat working group that has organised the campaign to halt the illegal commercial bushmeat trade. Bryan Carroll, together with other representatives of the campaign, presented the 1.9 million signature petition to the European Parliament in Brussels on 6 November 2000
• Bristol Zoo’s gorillas are part of the European breeding programme for this threatened species. Bristol Zoo also does extensive conservation work in Cameroon, at the zoo in the capital, Yaoundé, at a sanctuary for young gorillas and chimpanzees orphaned by the illegal trade in bushmeat, and in a communication education programme in villages in South East Cameroon where gorillas in the wild coexist with humans
Bristol Zoo Gardens
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day.
• The Zoo is an Education and Conservation Charity and relies on the income from visitors to support its work. The Zoo is involved with over one hundred co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species.
• It employs 140 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens supports – through finance and skill sharing - over 10 projects in the UK and abroad that conserves and protects some of the world’s most endangered species.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents its member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums. For further information about BIAZA please phone 020 7449 6351.
