2013-06-18 — /travelprnews.com/ — Monroe, a western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, celebrated his second birthday today, savoring a multicolored ice cake made of fruits and vegetables and adorned with yam and banana frosting, ginger leaves and jacaranda and hibiscus flowers.
The young gorilla licked and picked blueberries off his cake before running about his exhibit, playing with numerous cardboard animals and toys made by Safari Park volunteers to provide special enrichment for the precocious primate. Monroe was born at the Safari Park on June 17, 2011, and keepers say they have enjoyed watching the little guy develop and grow. They describe him as independent, curious and perpetually on the go.
Monroe’s birthday party attendees included his keepers, Safari Park guests and volunteers, Monroe’s parents Kokamo and Winston, aunt Vila, Amani and Kami, and best buddy, 4-year-old Frank. Monroe and the troop are on exhibit daily at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered.
###
Photo taken on June 17, 2013, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
PERMITTED USE: Images are provided to the media solely for reproduction, public display, and distribution in a professional journalistic context in connection with newspaper, magazine, broadcast media (radio, television) or Internet media (ad enabled blog, webcasts, webinars, podcasts). Images may not be made available for public or commercial download, licensing or sale.
REQUIRED CREDIT AND CAPTION: All image uses must bear the copyright notice and be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in this metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption that makes reference to the gorillas. Any uses in which the image appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy are subject to paid licensing.
CONTACT: SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL
PUBLIC RELATIONS
619-685-3291
WEBSITE: www.sdzsafaripark.org
DOWNLOAD PHOTO AT: https://sandiegozoo.box.com/s/sue5m1hglc6tdmk914v1