Shigella bacteria claims third zoo ape

Siamang Johore died Tuesday of bacterial infection

The shigella bacteria has claimed the life of a third ape at the ABQ BioPark Zoo, which on Thursday reported the death of 30-year-old siamang Johore.

The same digestive tract bacterial infection killed Johore’s mate last month, 32-year-old Brian, as well as Huerfanita, a 48-year-old Western lowland gorilla.

According to zoo staff, Johore was responding well to her treatments, but on Sunday her condition declined. She died Tuesday.

Born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Johore came to the BioPark Zoo in 2009, where she and mate Brian had five offspring.

Two of those offspring, Eerie, 4, and Rue, 2 months,

are also being treated for the illness. Baby Rue is currently receiving 24-hour care from the BioPark’s animal care team.

“Despite the incredible efforts of our animal care team, we lost another member of our BioPark family to this terrible illness,” BioPark Director Stephanie Stowell said. “While

this loss deeply affects us, our priority now shifts to the health of Johore’s sons and doing everything we can do to eradicate shigella from our facility as quickly as possible.”

In addition, two of the zoo’s nine chimpanzees, 21-year-old female, Rainey, and 6-year-old male, Desi, are showing symptoms of the illness. Zoo staff is still waiting for test results to confirm that preliminary diagnosis, and those chimps are being monitored in their private indoor area, said BioPark senior veterinarian, Dr. Carol Bradford.

Two male western lowland gorillas, Hasani, 17, and Jack, 20, are recovering from the illness, whose symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping.

Bradford said shigella is extremely difficult to eradicate and the zoo could be dealing with the outbreak for weeks or months to come. It could take up to a year to eliminate the bacteria from animals and their environment, she added.

Animal care staff will continue quarantine procedures, wearing full PPE including suits, booties, masks and gloves. Additional specific and intense cleaning has been incorporated into the standard regimen to target the shigella bacteria, Bradford said.

COURTESY OF ABQ BIOPARK Female siamang Johore, 30, died this week at the ABQ BioPark Zoo from a digestive tract infection caused by the shigella bacteria. She is the third ape to die from the illness in recent weeks.