Meet Zoe, the Zoo's baby chimpanzee!
It’s a Girl! Visitors to the Oklahoma City Zoo have the opportunity to meet and see for the first time “Zoe,” a chimpanzee infant! Born on October 14, 2008 to mom “Chloe” and dad “Mwami,” Zoe is making her official debut at Great EscApe, Thursday, September 10. This was the first offspring for both parents and the first chimpanzee birth at the Zoo since 1949. 
Zoe made her public debut on Thursday, September 10 and can now be seen with her chimp family in Great EscApe. Above, she explores her outdoor yard. Below, she enjoys her baby chimp-sized play area. For more about Zoe's incredible story, keep reading...
Named in honor of her mother, Zoe spent the first few months of her life being meticulously and lovingly hand-raised by a team of surrogate animal care specialists including the Zoo’s Great EscApe, veterinary, curatorial and various animal keeper staff. Chloe, who was near-term in her pregnancy, began showing signs of pregnancy complications on the morning of October 14, 2008. The Zoo team led by Zoo Associate Veterinarian, Dr. Michelle Davis and a group of physicians from OU Medical Center (specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, and infant critical care) performed an ultrasound on Chloe and were unable to detect any abnormalities. The decision was made to allow Chloe to proceed with her pregnancy based upon the information obtained from the physical examination. Unfortunately, Chloe experienced difficulty coming out of anesthesia and was unable to be revived after CPR was administered. Dr. Davis delivered Zoe by C-section. A necropsy (animal autopsy) indicated that Chloe’s death was due to complications from pregnancy with a combination of factors including: a tear in her placenta, tiny blood clots in her brain and increased anesthesia risk due to pregnancy. “Our primary concerns were for the health and well-being of both infant and mother and had an attempt not been made to discover what the situation was with Chloe, we could have lost both animals,” said Dr. Jennifer D’Agostino, Zoo Director of Veterinary Services. “We are grateful to the OU Medical Center physicians who donated their time and expertise to help us during this challenging situation.”
A healthy 3.5 pounds, Zoe was cared for round-the-clock for the first 6.5 months of her life. Finding a surrogate chimp mom and integrating Zoe into the chimp family as a physically and socially healthy chimp was the ultimate goal. “Our team needed to mirror the behavior of a chimp mom as closely as possible,” said Jennifer Davis, Great EscApe Supervisor. “Our primary focus was consistently promoting natural behaviors including our vocalizations and facial expressions.” To help Zoe learn clinging skills a special black, furry vest was designed for keepers to wear during play and feeding sessions. From the beginning, the chimpanzee family could see, hear and smell Zoe from their protected-contact enclosure next door. In April, Zoe was integrated into her “chimp” family. As chimps have complex social structures and hierarchies, this was a challenging time. Chimp families can be aggressive, and members of the family were trying to reestablish their hierarchies after Chloe’s death. Careful strategies by the Zoo team involved selecting the female with the most maternal instincts with Abby eventually assuming the role. Abby’s half-sister Kito is playing an integral function as “aunt.” Zoe is continuing to meet and get to know other members of her extended family. “Our team has worked admirably and tirelessly to ensure that Zoe is a well-integrated and socialized chimpanzee,” said Zoo Executive Director/CEO Dwight Scott. “I appreciate their dedication, and as professionals in the zoo industry, it is rewarding for all of us to see Zoe thriving.”
This significant birth is due in part to the breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan, or SSP. Together with the AZA, the Chimpanzee SSP serves to guide the management of the chimpanzee population at 35 accredited zoos across the country representing 270 chimps. Chimpanzees are classified as endangered. The commercial trade in bushmeat is by far the greatest immediate threat to chimpanzees. Other challenges include: commercial logging, conversion of habitat to agriculture, mineral prospecting and mining, and forest fires. The live animal trade, including capture of infants for the pet trade and entertainment industry, and the international biomedical trade, are additional pressures.
Come see the newest arrival at the Zoo: baby chimp Zoe, at Great EscApe! Zoe is still getting to know her new habitat, so might not always be visible to guests. Also visit her fellow Zoo infants, an okapi calf born August 15 and a Grevy’s Zebra foal born July 13, both on Wild Dog Row. Check out photos of all of our baby animals in our photo albums! The wild is calling you to the Oklahoma City Zoo!