Edalee and the Gorillas
The three babies were raised in a special suite of rooms at the Zoo hospital by secretary turned gorilla caregiver Edalee Orcutt. She fed them, played with them, took them outside to romp, nursed them through colds, and helped them learn the skills they needed. She also observed and wrote a series of insightful articles about their development for ZOONOOZ. As the gorillas grew, scientists of several disciplines came to the San Diego Zoo to study their development, behavior, and cognitive abilities. This most-watched—and much-loved—trio taught zoologists, behaviorists, and thousands of Zoo visitors a great deal about their species.