Dallas Zoo’s Patrick Looking Forward to Girl Gorillas

Zoo authorities put their heads together and figured they'd help nature a bit by flying in some female gorillas for Patrick. He's a 21-year-old lowland silverback gorilla that lives at the Dallas Zoo. On recommendation of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan Program, the zoo in Cincinnati sent girl gorillas, Madge, 30 years old, and Shanta, a mere teen at 14 years, for breeding. According to this site, these gals come from good stock with the Cincinnati Zoo gorillas having been some of the most prolific gorillas in captivity with 48 births to date.

The females will be gradually introduced to Patrick, which is a good thing, as he bit a female gorilla in the past and they had to move her out. Madge and Shanta will be quarantined and checked for diseases, then put in adjacent enclosures to see how they get along. Then, eventually moved in together and hopefully gorilla sparks will fly.