For Immediate Release
Contact: Gina Stiles (904) 757-4463 ext. 210; cell: (904) 655-3632

Sudden Death of Bonobo Saddens Zoo

Necropsy to Be Performed to Determine Cause

January 23, 2009 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced the death of its four-and one-half-year-old bonobo named Kaleb today.  Kaleb was found non-responsive in his holding area around 1:00 p.m. and was transported immediately to the Zoo’s hospital for treatment.  After efforts to resuscitate him failed, the Zoo pronounced him dead at 1:25 p.m.  A necropsy and other tests will be performed to determine the cause of death.

“We are all shocked and saddened to learn of the death of one of the youngest of our 11 bonobos,” said Executive Director Dennis Pate.  “These rare animals are a very important part of our conservation initiative.  There are only approximately 200 of the species in Zoos across the world.”

The son of Kuni and Bosondjo, Kaleb was born at the Zoo on May 9, 2004.  Kaleb’s mother, Kuni, came to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in June 2003 from the San Diego Zoo.  The father, Bosondjo, was the former patriarch of the Jacksonville Zoo’s bonobo family who died after a long battle with heart disease in 2005. 

A picture of Kaleb is available to media upon request. 

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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