Little Joe is leaving Boston after decades at the Franklin Park Zoo. The zoo did not say exactly where the 33-year-old gorilla is going, but said he’ll move to an accredited institution, “where it is hoped that he will be successful in starting his own family.” In 2003, Little Joe made national headlines when he escaped his enclosure and ran into the city, injuring a 2-year-old girl. The zoo made safety upgrades in the years that followed. Little Joe is a western lowland gorilla, which is a critically endangered species that is threatened in the wild by disease and poaching, as well as logging and mining practices, the zoo said.
“This news is bittersweet to share as we will all miss Little Joe, but we are also excited for this opportunity for him to lead his own troop and start a family, which is important for the preservation of the species,” Zoo New England president and CEO Stephanie Brinley said in a statement. Little Joe will leave Boston sometime in the coming months. As part of the breeding program, he will be replaced by two young gorillas in the spring. One of them is an 8-year-old named Moke that is currently at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Later in the year, a male silverback gorilla will come to Boston from another zoo. The two young gorillas will join a 5-year-old at Franklin Park Zoo named Pablo to form a “bachelor group,” the zoo said. “Pablo is reaching the age where he will be testing his family and pushing boundaries more,” assistant curator Erica Farrell said. “We hope that Pablo will bond with his new bachelor troop members while they are still young and develop relationships that will help them grow together through their teenage years, and beyond.”
Gunfire erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night — with President Trump and first lady Melania dramatically evacuated less than 30 minutes after making their grand entrance.…
Little Joe is leaving Boston after decades at the Franklin Park Zoo. The zoo did not say exactly where the 33-year-old gorilla is going, but said he’ll move to…
On Tuesday afternoon, Xcel Energy confirmed its plans to implement a public safety power shutoff in parts of southern Colorado on Wednesday. “Xcel Energy will implement a Public Safety…
The FBI on Tuesday announced a reward of $50,000 for the arrest and conviction of a man wanted in the 2021 shooting death of a National Guard member. Joseph…
The National Weather Service has confirmed reports of multiple tornadoes that touched down in California’s Central Valley on Tuesday, as a powerful spring storm passed through the region. According…
Suffolk County sheriff’s deputies are testing out high-tech guns that will be mounted on police car bumpers to fire GPS darts onto suspects’ vehicles’ during high-speed chases. The new…
Dozens of alleged Mexican Mafia members and associates were arrested during a federal investigation, including several warrants served at locations across Southern California early Thursday. FBI raids took place…
A powerful tornado in Oklahoma on Thursday ripped roofs off buildings, destroyed homes, knocked down power poles and forced an Air Force base to close. The confirmed tornado moved…
China is sending two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta, the China Wildlife Conservation Association says. The China Wildlife Conservation Association said in a statement that male panda Ping Ping…
I founded and built the largest grassroots movement in the history of the pro-life cause: 40 Days for Life. During its first decade, I mobilized more than 2,000 leaders…
A state court judge on Wednesday blocked Virginia from moving forward with a redistricting effort that passed in a referendum a day earlier, a roadblock in Democrats’ efforts to…
A massive wildfire in Putnam County in northern Florida left Amtrak passengers stranded on a train for more than 24 hours. One train heading to New York City was…
Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday as fast-moving wildfires in South Georgia prompted evacuations, road closures, and burn bans across the state. As part…
A 2-year-old boy who went missing Tuesday in Temperance, Michigan, was found by himself inside a vacant apartment, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported. The child was reported missing…
France confirms data breach at government agency that manages citizens’ IDs The French government agency that handles the issuing and management of citizens’ identity documents, including national IDs, passports,…
South Korean authorities have found that two fighter jets collided mid-air in 2021 because the pilots were taking pictures and videos. The incident took place while the jets were…
Severe weather season has been off to a very active start in Illinois, with everything from flooding, hail, and damaging winds – and more than 100 tornadoes statewide. As…
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have discovered a hormone that appears to reverse obesity in the body. The new study, published in the journal Cell Reports, used mouse…
You must be logged in to post a comment.