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  • From: Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>
  • To: monkeywire AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [monkeywire] Gorilla "OJ" to get name change
  • Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2005 19:49:46 -0500

Remaking zoo's bachelor

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/10603251.htm
Sun, Jan. 09, 2005

The ladies are lonely at Gorilla World, so San Francisco Zoo officials have brought back O.J. the Bachelor Gorilla.

The announcement carried so many brow-arching possibilities that IA nearly went cross-eyed.

``It's a sore subject,'' said zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan, acknowledging people often wonder: ``Why would you name a gorilla after someone notorious like that?''

Actually, O.J. is not named after the football star suspected -- and acquitted -- of killing his ex-wife and her friend. He's named after his parents, Oscar and Jonesy II. But that may change.

It's common to change an animal's moniker after it arrives at a new zoo, Chan said. O.J. was called Rich during his recent stay at the Buffalo Zoo -- after Rich Products, which sponsored him.

Now that he's back at San Francisco -- where he lived from 1982 to 1987 -- officials may change his name again, perhaps letting a longtime donor choose his new name, Chan said.

A bit confusing, perhaps, but there are perks in store for O.J., who moved out of quarantine and into one of Gorilla World's barred rooms on Wednesday. Since Kubi, the zoo's silverback, has died, O.J. is going to be the dominant male gorilla -- which means the 23-year-old virgin finally gets to mate.

``When the females see him,'' Chan predicted, ``they won't ask him what his name is.''




  • [monkeywire] Gorilla "OJ" to get name change, Carrie McLaren, 01/09/2005

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