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March 2011 Update
Kibibi Gets Her First Medical Exam
The National Zoo's female baby western lowland gorilla, born in January 2009, had her first medical exam in March 2011. The Zoo's veterinary team anesthetized Kibibi through a hand injection, gave her her first vaccines, conducted a routine physical exam, drew blood for a baseline health assessment, and took radiographs.
According to vets, Kibibi's teeth and eyes look good, her abdomen feels normal and she's growing at the rate of a healthy gorilla. She weighed 21 pounds, and received a clean bill of health.
Kibibi's mother, Mandara, underwent a medical exam the same day, including a cardiac examination by a veterinary cardiologist and dental procedure by a veterinary dentist.
Because Kibibi has been healthy and the Zoo's group of gorillas does not have a history of communicable diseases, animal care staff and veterinarians determined that they did not have to conduct a health exam earlier. Instead, Kibibi will continue to follow the same exam schedule as her mother.
