Throggs Neck News: Baby Gorillas

Throggs Neck News: Baby Gorillas: Baby Gorillas Make Their Zoo Debut (Photos by Julie Larson) BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 24- Two western lowland gorillas were born at the...

Baby Gorillas

Baby Gorillas Make Their Zoo Debut

(Photos by Julie Larson)

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 24- Two western lowland gorillas were born at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. These are the first gorillas born at the Bronx Zoo since 2006.

The Bronx Zoo’s Congo Gorilla Forest is now home to 20 gorillas – the largest group of gorillas in North America. The Bronx Zoo has a successful history breeding gorillas as part of the Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program designed to enhance the genetic viability of animal populations in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The gender of the babies is not yet known. The infants and the parents live with the rest of their troop in the Bronx Zoo’s Congo Gorilla Forest. These are the 14th and 15th gorillas born at this award-winning exhibit and there have been 50 gorillas born at the Bronx Zoo since 1972.

When the babies can be seen by visitors this spring will vary day-by-day depending on weather, temperature, and other environmental factors.

Julia (33 years old) gave birth on March 10 and Tuti (19 years old) had her baby on April 17. Ernie (31 years old) is the father of both babies. Julia and Tuti are both experienced mothers; Julia has successfully reared two babies and Tuti has had one other. Ernie is a first-time father.

  

The gestation period for a gorilla is 8.5 months and newborns weigh approximately 4 to 5 pounds. Gorilla infants are held by their mother for the first four months of their life. Infants start eating solid foods at about 6 months but will nurse until they are 3 or 4 years old. 

Gorillas are the world’s largest primates. Adult males weigh between 350-450 pounds and when standing upright can be up to six feet tall. Adult females weigh between 150-250 pounds and are up to four feet tall. 

Congo Gorilla Forest opened in 1999 on a 6.5-acre footprint in the southwest corner of the zoo. The exhibit is an immersive walkthrough that gives zoo-goers the feeling of being in a Central African rainforest where they can see examples of African biodiversity.  Species include mandrills, okapis, many species of birds and invertebrates, and of course the western lowland gorillas. Congo Gorilla Forest has won many awards for its design, animal habitats, and horticulture. It is also among the world’s first zoo exhibits where admission fees go directly to field conservation efforts in Africa. Since it opened, more than $12.5 million has gone to support WCS’s Global Conservation Programs.

Western lowland gorillas are designated as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their natural range spans tropical and subtropical forests in equatorial Africa. They are primarily vegetarian, mainly consuming fruits, plants, and some insects. They spend much of their time on the ground, but are excellent climbers.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places around the globe and in all four of the world’s oceans. WCS works throughout Central Africa to protect gorillas from habitat loss and illegal hunting.

Visit: www.wcs.org; http://www.facebook.com/TheWCS; http://www.youtube.com/user/WCSMedia  Follow: @thewcs.

Throggs Neck News: Bx. Puerto Rican Day Parade

Throggs Neck News: Bx. Puerto Rican Day Parade: PREVIEW OF THE BIG PARADE (Young beauty pageant winners and their parents after the annual contest.--Photos by Miriam Quin) A...

Bx. Puerto Rican Day Parade

PREVIEW OF THE BIG PARADE

(Young beauty pageant winners and their parents after the annual contest.--Photos by Miriam Quin)

A few dozen young ladies competed during The Latinos Unidos Parade, Inc., Reina / Queen Kids Pageant on April 5, at the Latino Pastoral Action Center on West 170 Street in Highbridge. The selected winners will represent the borough in the annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade. Winners competed dancing the Plena dance. This year’s winners in the 6-9 age group were Samira Falu, Nashaly Rodon and Leilani Rodriguez. The 28th annual parade will be held along the Grand Concourse on Sunday, June 1.

Throggs Neck News: Can This Dimwit

Throggs Neck News: Can This Dimwit: Can This Dimwit By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 24- It may not be pine tar, but one wannabe Bronx pitcher is in trouble ...

Can This Dimwit

Can This Dimwit

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 24- It may not be pine tar, but one wannabe Bronx pitcher is in trouble for hurling. Cops are now looking for the man for assault inside a supermarket.

At around 1:30 p.m. on April 13, inside Compare Food Store, located at 2080 White Plains Road, the suspect had assaulted a 69-year-old woman when his throwing ability went awry. Cops say the suspect had gotten into an argument with a man inside the supermarket. The suspect became so enraged he threw a can of soybeans at the man. The can missed the intended target and instead struck a 69-year-old woman in the face. The woman was  treated at Einstein Hospital for swelling to her eye.

Police released surveillance video of the would-be pitcher. He is described as 20 to 25 years old with a medium build.

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Mayor gets schooled in Pre-K here

Mayor gets schooled in Pre-K here

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 23- Mayor Bill deBlasio came to Riverdale to visit one of the longest running Pre-K site that has successfully been in operation since the 1940's according to Daniel Eudene the Executive Director of the Riverdale Neighborhood Neighborhood House. 

Currently 70 children are being served with half day Pre-K that will increase to full day Pre-K starting at the beginning of the new school year in September. As he arrived, Mayor de Blasio stopped to chat with Ms. Melissa Shields mother of a soon to be Pre-K child and her one year old sister. The mayor and the local elected officials then toured the Riverdale Neighborhood House to see the Pre-K program in action. They also learned that the RNN is also a teen after school center and much more.

The mayor and other elected officials then came outside to discuss what they had seen and just what the mayor’s Pre-K program was all about. As he spoke de Blasio thanked State Senator Jeff Klein in getting the funding put into the state budget after the mayor was unable to have a Pre-K tax passed in Albany. Senator Klein said as Co-Leader of the state senate that he was not going to approve a state budget that did not have a Pre-K plan in it. Klein and other elected officials who spoke said that when children go through a Pre- K class that the students do better in school than others who do not receive the benefit of a Pre-K class. 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. echoed Senator Klein's words with the story of his two children who received a Pre-K program, and now both are in college with one graduating soon. Riverdale Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilman Andrew Cohen were also on hand, and both gave examples of the virtue of the Pre[-K program.

The deadline for public school sign up was Wednesday Aprill 23rd, but with many public schools not having enough space (if any) Community Based Organizations such as RNN will be called upon to fill the over 50,000 Pre-K seats that are projected for the beginning 0f the September 2014 school year. Mayor de Blasio said that when the Pre-K program is fully implemented in its second year that 70,000 Pre-K seats will be available citywide.