Sweet 'lil baby...

It has been a while since I've been to the Prague Zoo, but an article I just read in the Prague Daily Monitor is going to change that.  

Here's the story...

Prague zoo's baby gorilla rejected by mother, stays in incubator

ČTK | 10 NOVEMBER 2011

Prague, Nov 9 (CTK) - The young gorilla that was born in Prague's zoo has stayed in an incubator since its mother rejected it on Tuesday evening, zoo director Miroslav Bobek told journalists Wednesday.

The keepers originally pondered trying to return the offspring to Bikira, the gorilla mother who gave birth for the first time last night, but they eventually dropped the idea because the young's temperature always dangerously plummeted outside the incubator.

Bobek admitted the young may have been born early.

"Now it is a patient," he said, adding that the baby gorilla will start being fed with milk.

The Prague zoo has discussed the situation with some European zoos that have similar experience.

With time elapsing since the young's birth, its chances of being accepted by its mother have declined.

The zoo is pondering what to do next, if the young survives and leaves the incubator.

"The Kama scenario would be the worst of all," Bobek said, alluding to an orangutan that was born in Prague in the 1970s and raised by the keepers at home. As an adult ape, Kama felt better together with people rather than orangutans.

Bobek said there exists a "kindergarten" for young gorillas rejected by their mothers, where the babies can spend time together with peers. If no other integration chance emerged for the newborn gorilla, Prague may send it abroad, Bobek said.

The keepers expected problems to accompany the motherhood of Bikira, as she was raised by people.

Expert Marek Zdansky said it is strange that not even other gorillas among the Prague group showed interest in the newborn young. This may indicate that the young is not in order, he said.

Bikira, the mother, was born in 1995 in Amsterdam. She was gradually raised in Stuttgart and Belfast, from where she came to Prague in 2010. Apart from her, the Prague group includes other four females, the male Richard, and three young, all born to female Kijivu.

"Rare Egyptian tortoise hatches in Prague Zoo"

An article in the Prague Daily Monitor today caught my eye...simply because this little fella is just so adorable!

The article states...

Prague, March 15 (CTK) - A young Egyptian tortoise, one of the world's most endangered species, hatched in the Prague zoo this weekend, measuring 2.5 cm and weighing 5.5 grammes, the keepers have told journalists.

The "closely watched" egg spent 81 days in an incubator. This species ranks among the most vulnerable in terms of breeding, the keepers said.

The Egyptian tortoise is a small terrestrial tortoise living along the Mediterranean coast. It is on the brink of extinction as its habitats have been devastated and the rest of its population is threatened with poachers and local inhabitants, zoo spokeswoman Jana Ptacinska Jiratova said.

Only about 4,700 specimen survive in the wild, she added.

The Prague zoo's 15 Egyptian tortoises, including the fresh arrival, are part of a new European salvation programme.

Ten of them arrived in Prague last December. Originally they were part of a consignment of 400 tortoises that were smuggled from Libya and confiscated by Italian authorities.