Shinda has always been a hearty eater. In the early days of The Revealed project, cameras caught her at night waking up and going to munch on branches in the enclosure, just like some people raid the fridge in the middle of the night.
She no longer has such an enormous appetite, yet she continues to eat more than she should to keep in good shape. Marek Zdansky found that Shinda weighs almost 105 kilos. She needs to put off 10 kilos to return to an appropriate weight. That is why hungry Shinda will be on a diet until October, with no fruit and larger servings of vegetables. She will receive food in precisely measured portions directly from the keepers, hand to hand.
Obviously, Shinda will have problems accepting such treatment. Marek expects problems in the pavilion - as soon as Shinda finds out that the others receive more food and treats that are forbidden to her, she will probably try to steal from them. Shinda knows various tricks how to get hold of her favourite food. She can pretend to be sick and need something more tasty to recover. But it is extremely important for Shinda to shed the excessive kilos. This is not only a way to prevent many a disease, which applies to all members of the troop, but the extra weight could be an obstacle for her conception which we have all been hoping for.
An important part of the therapy is physical activity. Marek keeps coming up with ideas how to improve climbing structures to make them attractive yet safe for the gorillas. Lately, two new ropes have been installed. The gorillas use them frequently in creative ways. True, there are now so many ropes in the pavilion that it complicates shooting, but if the gorillas are happy, we cannot complain. We believe you will pardon the "entangled look" of both still images and video footage from the pavilion, since it is for the gorillas' well-being.
Changes in the diet befall not only Shinda but also Richard. He is not overweight but had long been suffering from flatulence. That is why he was not getting any broccoli or leek. A week-long diet helped and he is now fit again. As we can see, the gorillas in Prague are in good hands and receive the best possible care. This is probably the most difficult part of the keepers' job - to know their animals perfectly and to be able to establish the cause of problems whenever they spot altered behaviour. A quick aid can prevent serious health complications.
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