Calgary Zoo asking visitors to continue wearing masks to protect pregnant gorilla
After Alberta’s provincial face mask requirement lifts, the Calgary Zoo is asking that visitors keep wearing masks while in its Rainforest building ā and the reason is so wholesome.
The Government of Alberta plans to remove mandatory indoor masking on March 1, given that hospitalization rates continue to trend downwards. The City of Calgary has opted to lift its face mask bylaw and will follow the public health measure in alignment with the provincial government.
Once the mask mandate has been lifted, those at the Calgary Zoo won’t be required to wear masks ā in all areas except one. Guests are being asked to continue wearing masks while inside the zoo’s Rainforest building, despite requirements being eased elsewhere.
This is being done in an effort to help protect the zoo’s gorilla troop, especially mom-to-be Dossi. The Calgary Zoo said in a statement released this week that the “combined risk of transmission and risk of illness for the animal residents of other buildings is considered low;” however, the zoo is concerned about unknown airflow patterns in the Rainforest building, along with the high risk of COVID-19 to gorillas based on other zoos’ experiences.
“Being close relatives to humans, great apes are highly susceptible to COVID-19 transmission,” reads the statement. The zoo says that it hasn’t yet been able to secure a vaccine shipment to protect Dossi and the other gorillas from the virus.
Dossi, who is 21 years old, is expecting her first baby in early April with the zoo’s 23-year-old male silverback gorilla, Jasiri. The last successful gorilla birth at the Calgary Zoo was in 2016.
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“We know our visitors love the endangered animals we love and care for,” said Jamie Dorgan, Director of Animal Care, Health & Welfare. “We have been taking extra precautions for seven months to help Dossi have a successful pregnancy – from additional biosecurity to world-class maternal care and working with the entire gorilla troop to be prepared for all possible scenarios.”
“We are asking visitors to continue to wear masks inside the Rainforest building to help protect Dossi and other troop members from a potential covid transmission which could have a devastating effect on her precious pregnancy,” Dorgan added.
The zoo says that it has been working throughout the pandemic to protect all of its vulnerable animals, many of whom are endangered, which includes taking all possible measures to help Dossi have a successful pregnancy.
The Animal Care, Health & Welfare team will continue to wear PPE when working around animals.
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