Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

December 14, 2009 - Jacksonville, Fl -

After more than six months of waiting, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced the birth of a female baby mandrill born last evening. The dam, Deanna, and sire, Gunnite, are both genetically valuable to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Mandrill Species Survival Plan (SSP). This is the second offspring for 14-year-old Deanna since she came to the Zoo in 1999 from Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Gunnite is 19 years old and came to the Jacksonville Zoo in April of this year from the Milwaukee County Zoo. Deanna became pregnant shortly after Gunnite’s introduction to the group, which also includes a three-year-old female named Gucci. Gucci, Deanna’s first offspring, was also born at the Jacksonville Zoo. 

“Deanna and her new baby appear to be doing very well,” said Craig Miller, curator of mammals for Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “They are being monitored carefully and are now on exhibit daily (weather permitting) in the Zoo’s Great Apes area.” 
 
Mandrill conservation status is listed as vulnerable to extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, populations have declined 30% over the past 30 years due to hunting and loss of habitat. In captivity, there are only 122 mandrills in the SSP living at 32 institutions in North America.
 
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. From the beginning in 1914, with an animal collection that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation, now with more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is open year-round, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. The Zoo is open until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information, go to jacksonvillezoo.org.

XXX