CHIMP CHAT
Recently, the Little Rock Zoo had the honor of hosting the 2009 National Chimpanzee SSP Behavioral Workshop, where zoo professionals from AZA accredited institutions come together to discuss chimps in captivity and ways to maintain an active life.
An SSP, or Species Survival Plan, manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable.
At the Chimp SSP workshop, Little Rock Zoo staff reported on the status of our 7 chimpanzees. Zoo staff also provided an update on Mikey and Louie, the Little Rock Zoo's newest addition to the chimp family. Mikey and Louie were given to the Little Rock Zoo by a woman who used to keep them as pets. The Little Rock Zoo does not condone keeping chimps as pets because they require special care.
Mikey and Louie are enjoying their naturalistic habitat with members of their own species. Mikey and Louie have a spacious exhibit at the Little Rock Zoo, and zookeepers are currently working towards integrating Mikey and Louie into the troop of chimps. Louie, the younger of the two, keeps his blanket close. Mikey, the older, serves as a big brother to little Louie.
Louie Mikey
PHOTOS BY ZETTA FRIDAY |
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