The Fort Worth Zoo is finalizing plans to transfer one of its most popular animals to another zoo next week. Only on NBC 5 Deborah Ferguson takes us behind the scenes for an exclusive look at Jameela’s care and explains why she’ll leave Fort Worth.
The Fort Worth Zoo announced Friday that the baby gorilla born via a historic emergency C-section needed to save her life and her mother's life is headed to Cleveland, but the public will have a chance to see her before she goes.
The gorilla preemie, Jameela, was born on January 5, but because she was not born naturally, she and her mother never bonded.
Surrogacy training with two other female gorillas ended without success and Jameela has been cared for solely by humans who are with her 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"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 Fort Worth Zoo said in a post on Instagram.
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The Fort Worth Zoo announced on Instagram that Jameela will be transferred to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo early next week. The zoo has "a female gorilla with proven surrogate experience" and "they will make every effort to successfully integrate Jameela into their troop."
HOW YOU CAN SEE JAMEELA AT THE FORT WORTH ZOO?
Jameela's care by zookeepers has gone on behind the scenes at the zoo, even record-breaking spring break crowds couldn't see her. But before she leaves, the Zoo is offering the public a chance to see her and send her well wishes.
Jameela will spend time with her caretakers in the indoor gorilla habitat in the World of Primates this Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The public is invited to bring cards and pictures for Jameela and the zookeepers who have been caring for her and are sad to see her go.
COULD JAMEELA RETURN TO THE FORT WORTH ZOO?
But there was also good news in the Fort Worth Zoo's lengthy Instagram post, it's possible Jameela could return.
"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 post said.
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