The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:48 PM
10-Year Old White Gibbon Passes Away Unexpectedly At Knoxville Zoo
The zoo said its male gibbon, Georgie, needed a mate. They got Naomi from Little Rock, Arkansas, on Jan. 28. She initially was quarantined and was released into the Gibbon Trail habitat once veterinarians gave her a clean bill of health.
According to the Zoo, Naomi became uncoordinated and lethargic in late march, and she was sent back to the zoo's clinic. Veterinarians from the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine conducted several tests and found no neurological issues. The veterinarians treated her with antiviral, antibiotic and anti-imflammoatory medications, but Naomi's condition did not improve. She became unresponsive, and the zoo said it decided to "humanely euthanize" her Tuesday.
“We are reeling from the loss of Naomi,” Director of Animal Care, Conservation and Education Phil Colclough said. “We are in the business of caring for and saving animals, and while we all recognize that there will always be ups and downs when taking care of living creatures, the lows such as this never become less painful.”
Naomi came to Zoo Knoxville as part of the white-handed gibbon species survival plan. Zoos collaborate through this program to pair gibbons to produce offspring. They're now searching for a new companion for Georgie.
"In the interim, he is coping well with the companionship of his caretakers and enjoying his interactions with zoo visitors," Zoo Knoxville said about Georgie in a statement.
