Gorilla Ndume's return to Cincinnati Zoo delayed Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT WHICH MAKES THIS AN URGENT PROBLEM. BUT SO FAR THE CONSERVATORY WON’T LOOSEN ITS GORILLA GRIP. AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO, IT’S SOCIAL HOUR FOR THE GORILLAS. >> WE KNOW IT’S IMPORTANT FOR GORILLAS TO BE AROUND OTHER GORILLAS. BRIAN: BUT THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF THEM HAVE ENTERED A LEGAL JUNGLE, NOW FILING A LAWSUIT IN TERRITORY PRACTICALLY UNCHARTED. YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS? >> N NEVER, EVER EXPERIENCED TO THIS DEGREE. IT’S JUST ATYPICAL, TO SAY THE LEAST. BRIAN: RON EVANS IS CURATOR OF PRIMATES AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO. HE SAYS THEY’VE BEEN FORCED TO FILE A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO SETTLE A DISPUTE ABOUT A GORILLA TH WAS BORN HERE, BUT NOW LIVES IN A CALIFORNIA CONSERVATORY. MR. EVANS: SO THAT’S HOW UNUSUAL THIS IS, BECAUSE MOST ALL ZOOS AND ANYBODY WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT GORILLAS WORK COOPERATIVELY TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THESE GUYS BRIAN: NDUME IS A 37-YEAR-OLD GORILL CINCINNATI ZOO LOANED HIM TO THE GORILLA FOUNDATION IN REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, TO BE A COMPANION TO THE WORLD-FAMOUS SIGN LANGUAGE GORILLA KOKO. BUT KOKO RECENTLY DIED. THE DEAL WAS THAT WHEN KOKO PASSED AWAY, NDUME WOULD GO TO A ZOO WITH OTHER GORILLAS, SO HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN ISOLATION. THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS, ALONG WITH GORILLA SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN RECOMMENDED CINCINNATI. , BUT THE GORILLA FOUNDATION IS NOT GIVING NDUME U MR. EVANS: I DON’T LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THE OTHER INSTITUTION, BUT THEY DON’T FEEL IT’S IN NDUME’S BEST INTEREST TO TRANSFER. BRIAN: THEY HAD TO GIVE YOU A REASON. MR. EVANS: YEAH, THEIR OPINION IS THAT IT’S NOT FOR HIS GOOD WELFARE. BRIAN: SO FAR, THE GORILLA FOUNDATION HAS NOT GIVEN SPECIFICS ABOUT EXACTLY WHY THEY’VE PUT UP A FIGHT, BUT IT’S THROWN A MONKEY WRENCH INTO THE PLANS IN CINCINNAT NOW, AN ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGIST WI THIS FOUNDATION SAID THE GORILLA SCREAMED AND BANGED OBJECTS FOR 14 HOURS AFTER OVERHEARING TALK ABOUT A TRANSFER. SO F

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