FORT WORTH, Texas — After being born prematurely and enduring two failed surrogacy attempts, Fort Worth Zoo officials shared Friday that its baby gorilla Jameela would be transferred to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to continue her surrogacy journey.
Jameela was the third gorilla born in the zoo’s 115-year history -- but the first gorilla to be born via C-section.
She was born prematurely because her mother, 33-year-old Sekani, exhibited symptoms of preeclampsia, a serious blood-pressure condition that can occur during pregnancy in both humans and primates.
Following testing to support a preeclampsia diagnosis, zoo veterinarians intervened immediately, and Jameela was born four-to-six weeks earlier than full term on Jan. 5.
After her birth, Fort Worth Zoo officials tried reuniting Jameela and Sekani numerous times, but unfortunately the 33-year-old gorilla showed little interest in caring for her baby.
Zoo officials said that, while it’s hard to determine the exact reason why the two never bonded, they suspect Sekani never experienced the necessary hormonal cues that come during a natural and full-term birth, which would've triggered a traditional mother-baby relationship.
After Sekani showed disinterest, the zoo then turned to surrogacy training with a 24-year-old female gorilla named Gracie, but according to the zoo's Facebook page, the "surrogacy training with her has slowed and unfortunately, the progress we were needing to see has not been observed."
Fort Worth Zoo officials said they then made the decision to end Gracie's surrogacy training, and to shift focus to surrogacy with another female in the troop, Winifred.
Surrogacy efforts with Winifred also failed, according to an update posted Friday on the Fort Worth Zoo Facebook page.
"While we hoped for a different outcome – one that includes Jameela fully integrated into our troop – our main goal has always been that Jameela is raised by gorillas," the zoo said in its Friday update. "In conjunction with our reintroduction efforts, we have been in communication with our national partners for several weeks, searching for an institution that can not only meet her needs, but has a female gorilla with proven surrogate experience."
The Fort Worth Zoo announced Friday that the decision was made to transfer Jameela to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where zookeepers there will make every effort to successfully integrate Jameela into their gorilla troop.
"We are understandably heartbroken," the zoo said. "Jameela has left an indelible mark on all of us here at the Zoo and in the Fort Worth community."
Before Jameela leaves, the zoo said the public has a chance to see her and send her off with well wishes. She will spend time with her caretakers in the indoor gorilla habitat in the World of Primates on Saturday and Sunday (March 23 and 24), from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
"She will always be a part of the Fort Worth Zoo and, once she is grown and her father is not the silverback, we hope to see her back in Fort Worth one day," the zoo concluded in its post.
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