Thursday, May 29, 1997
Among the animals the Cincinnati Zoo
has bred or attempted to breed:
Komodo dragon
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Status: Endangered.
Number in wild: 3,000-5,000.
Range: Three islands in the Indonesian archipelago.
Number in captivity: About 160 worldwide, including about 60 in the United States. One on display at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Threat: A limited range makes the reptile vulnerable to natural disasters such as volcanic activity, tidal waves and earthquakes.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: 32 offspring resulted from the mating of an adult male owned by Cincinnati and a female owned by the National Zoo.
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Status: Endangered.
Number in wild: About 50,000.
Range: Gabon, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Number in captivity: About 700 worldwide, including 351 in North America. The Cincinnati Zoo has 14 at Gorilla World.
Threat: Destruction of habitat by logging industry; use of gorillas for human food.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: 45 (U.S. record).
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Western lowland gorilla
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White-naped crane
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Status: Endangered.
Number in wild: 5,000.
Range: Northeastern Mongolia, northeastern China and adjacent areas of southeastern Russia.
Number in captivity: 125 in North America, including three at the Cincinnati Zoo's off-site breeding farm. None are on public display.
Threat: Loss of wetlands.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: 10.
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Status: Critically endangered.
Number in wild: 2,400.
Range: About half are in South Africa; the remainder in Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
Number in captivity: Slightly more than 200 worldwide, including 108 in North America. Three at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Threat: Poachers.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: 17 (U.S. record).
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Black rhino
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Sumatran rhino
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Status: Critically endangered.
Number in wild: 300-400.
Range: Indonesia and Malaysia.
Number in captivity: 19, including three at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Threat: Poachers kill the rhino for its horn. In parts of Asia, it is believed (mistakenly, experts say) that the horn has medicinal value.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: None. No Sumatran rhinos have been born in captivity this century.
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Status: Not endangered.
Number in wild: Unknown.
Range: Primary and secondary lowland rain forest throughout Central America and South America.
Number in captivity: Two colonies at the Cincinnati Zoo (one colony, with about 1,200 ants, is on display) are believed to be the only ones in any zoo.
Threat: Destruction of rain forest.
Number born at Cincinnati Zoo: About 1,000.
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Bullet ant
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