Babec facts for kids
| Species | Western lowland gorilla |
|---|---|
| Sex | male |
| Born | December 22, 1979 Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Died | April 11, 2008 Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
Babec (born December 22, 1979 – died April 11, 2008) was a special male western lowland gorilla. He was a "silverback," which means he was a grown-up male gorilla with a patch of silver hair on his back. Babec was the youngest of three sons born at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Babec became a father to eight baby gorillas between 1988 and 1992. Five of his babies were with a female gorilla named Madge from the Cincinnati Zoo. Six of his children grew up, and he even had a grandchild named Kiazi Kitamu at the Pittsburgh Zoo. From 1993 until he passed away in 2008, Babec lived at the Birmingham Zoo in Birmingham, Alabama. He was famous for being the only gorilla to ever have a special heart device called a pacemaker, which he wore for four years!
Babec's Heart Journey
In 2003, Babec started showing signs of not feeling well. He was coughing, seemed tired, and didn't want to eat. Vets found out he had a serious heart problem called heart failure. This meant his heart wasn't pumping blood as well as it should.
To help him, the zoo's vet, E. Marie Rush, gave him special medicine and a unique diet. Part of his daily treatment included two big servings of grape-flavored Powerade! The Birmingham Coca-Cola Bottling Company even donated the Powerade for him.
A Special Heart Operation
On September 25, 2004, something amazing happened. Babec became the very first gorilla in the world to get a special heart device implanted. It was an advanced type of pacemaker called a cardiac resynchronization therapy device. This device helps the heart beat in a more regular and healthy way.
The company that made the device, Guidant Corporation, even donated it! A team of doctors, led by heart specialist Neal Kay from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, performed the surgery. It took six hours at the zoo's animal hospital.
After the operation, Babec recovered well. The zoo staff took extra care to make sure he didn't accidentally hurt the new device. They even clipped his fingernails short and used fun distractions like coloring his nails or putting chewing gum in his fur to keep him from touching his stitches!
Challenges and More Care
In the spring of 2005, Babec had a playful wrestle with Jamie, a younger gorilla at the zoo. During their fun, the wires connecting Babec's pacemaker to his heart got a little loose. The vets noticed because Babec started showing his heart problem symptoms again.
The zoo team quickly fixed the wires with another surgery. After this, they decided it was best for Babec and Jamie to have separate playtimes. This way, Babec could stay safe and healthy.
On April 29, 2007, Babec needed another surgery to replace his heart device. This operation took seven hours.
Sadly, Babec's health got much worse over three weeks in April 2008. On April 11, 2008, the zoo staff made the difficult decision to humanely end his life, so he would not suffer. Babec was a truly special gorilla who taught us a lot about animal heart health.
References
- Bryant, Walter (May 1, 2007) "Birmingham Zoo gorilla gets a new pacemaker." Birmingham News.
- "A Special Anniversary for Babec" (Winter 2005) Animal Tracks. Birmingham Zoo newsletter.
- Pennington, Rosemary (December 22, 2005) "Babec's Pacemaker". WBHM audio.
- Bischoff, Tracy (April 12, 2006) "Bravery Beads String Together Little Girl, Giant Gorilla" UAB press release.
- Dybas, Cheryl Lyn (August 21, 2006) "Success Beats in the Heart of a Captive Gorilla" Washington Post.
- "Help for an Ailing Gorilla" (September 13, 2004) UAB Synopsis Vol. 23, No. 34
