WASHINGTON — A rambunctious resident at the National Zoo is on the mend after vets found that he broke his leg.
Zoo veterinarians aren’t sure how Moke, a 9-month-old western lowland gorilla, got injured, but primate curator Meredith Bastian said in an interview on the zoo website that Moke has a reputation for being a “bit of a daredevil.”
“It is entirely possible that he landed the wrong way during one of his many jumps,” Bastian said.
Late last month, zookeepers noticed that the little guy wasn’t putting weight on his left leg. So they decided to exam him, which required anesthetizing not only Moke but his mother Calaya as well.
“Without anesthetizing Calaya, it would not have been safe for the veterinary or primate staff to examine Moke,” Bastian said.
An X-ray found a complete fracture in his left femur, but the fracture was not “significantly displaced,” said chief veterinarian Don Neiffer.
Instead of putting him in a cast or doing a surgical implant, the zoo decided to let the injury heal on its own and keep an eye on him.
“Because Moke is otherwise in good health and his behavior is not indicating that he is experiencing discomfort, we would rather not have him undergo another anesthetic event,” Neiffer said.
Keepers have added some hay near areas where he might climb for cushioning. And sadly, he’ll be kept away from his playmates for a month or so while he heals.
See the National Zoo’s video of Moke’s visit to the vet below.
