For immediate release
Contact:  Gina Stiles, 904-757-4463, ext. 210; 655-3632

The Third Oldest Living Bonobo in the Nation Celebrates Birthday at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

April 24, 2009 - Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced its 40th birthday celebration for Lorel, the third oldest living bonobo in the United States.  The birthday celebration will take place on Sunday, May 3rd at 2:30 p.m. at the bonobo exhibit, in the Great Apes.  There will be special treats for the bonobos, including a bonobo-friendly birthday cake, decorations and gifts that only bonobos could love.  

“We want to celebrate Lorel’s milestone birthday in a special way,” said Tracy Williams, Supervisor of Mammals at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “She has made significant contributions not only to the Jacksonville Zoo group, but to the captive bonobo population as a whole,” she concluded.   

Lorel was born in 1969 at the San Diego Zoo.  She was transferred to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in March of 1998.  Lorel is the third oldest living bonobo in the United States, outlived only by her 42-year-old sister, Laura, and a 58-year-old female, Kitty (both at Milwaukee County Zoo). Her relatives in the Species Survival Program (SSP) include three sons, four daughters, one brother, four sisters, seven nephews, and ten nieces.  All seven of Lorel’s offspring were sired by Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ former bonobo patriarch, Bosondjo, who was Lorel’s companion for nearly 25 years.  Recent additions to the group have provided Lorel with new companions and reunited her with one of her sons after nearly 20 years apart.   As she enters her golden years, she shows no signs of slowing down and we look forward to many more years of Lorel serving as the matriarch of our bonobo group.  Bonobos are primates found in the country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa, and are closely related to the chimpanzee. 

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.  The Zoo is open until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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