September is usually quite a busy month. The holiday season is over, a lot of work is waiting to be done, new projects are being launched, children are back to school and need all kinds of parental assistance. Nothing can wait, nothing can be avoided. The situation is much the same everywhere and the gorilla pavilion at the Prague zoo is no exception.
Kijivu was sick. Marek Zdansky told us that the sickness, whose symptoms included vomiting, diarrhoea, and indigestion, lasted for only two days. She was prescribed a biscuit diet and has been feeling better since Tuesday. It was most likely some kind of gastrointestinal virus infection she could have caught from visitors. Unfortunately, little Tatu suffered from the same problems as he probably got the infection from the breast milk. He is now all right, too.
Shinda does not have to survive on digestive biscuits but has been on a vegetable-only diet, which does not make her very happy. We should stress that she is by no means hungry. She is not served any fruit but in order to prevent her from being jealous when others receive sweet treats from hand to hand, she receives a wider selection of vegetables - up to ten different kinds every day. Yet she comes to the back room window and performs various funny tricks to earn a sweet reward. She must be disappointed when the reward is not a sweet but a radish. The diet has been successful and Shinda has shed 6 kilos. The diet is necessary because even just a few kilos of overweight may be an obstacle to conception which we are all hoping for. If obesity as the cause of problems with reproduction is resolved, Marek will discuss further steps with vets.
Some of you noticed that the back room window is broken. Moja brought a stone from outside and tried to hit the window until she succeeded. Marek inspected the damage and came to the conclusion that it does not pose any danger. That is why he decided to postpone repairs until spring because they will be difficult. Nevertheless, the pavilion is soon going to be closed to the public for an indefinite period for repairs of the floor heating. How long it will take is anyone's guess.
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