A long-awaited newborn baby appeared in the family of apes in the Regional Landscape Park. Chimpanzees Roma (Romeo) and Jetta (Juliet) gave birth to a baby boy. According to the specialists, it is a very important event not only for Kharkiv, but for the whole Ukraine. Reproduction of chimpanzees in zoos is a rather rare and significant occurrence. These apes are under the threat of extinction and each newborn is under the special attention of the international animal protection organizations.
“It is the first baby in the family and both parents, as well as the whole team of Feldman Ecopark, waited for its birth impatiently. The pregnancy lasted for 8 months, and during this period the future mother was under the close attention of veterinarians. Juliet was fed with her favourite treats. Her tastes changed every day – one day she wanted orange, the other day – only bananas,” Feldman Ecopark’s deputy director of zootechnics Valeriia Ivashchenko told. “Now, the mother with the baby is in special quarantine box under the twenty-four-hour care. A happy father will be able to meet an heir soon.”
As for the visitors of the Regional Landscape Park, they will be able to look at this closest human relative in the enclosure together with its parents in a month. Meanwhile, everyone is able to take part in the competition – to choose a name for the little chimpanzee. It will be possible to find out the details of the competition on the website and official pages on social networks of Feldman Ecopark.
It should be reminded that the collection of primates of Feldman Ecopark is the biggest in Ukraine and has nearly 200 animals of 30 species. They include 8 chimpanzees, the most famous of which is Cheetah, the symbol of Ecopark.
