New device takes gorilla's blood pressure

[November 12, 2009]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- One of the gorillas at Zoo Atlanta has been under pressure lately.

Zoo keepers, along with undergraduate students from Georgia Tech and researchers from Emory University, got a western lowland gorilla named Ozzie to voluntarily have his blood pressure taken by a machine students designed called the Gorilla Tough Cuff. Zoo officials say it's the first time a gorilla has ever voluntarily had its blood pressure taken in any zoo in the world.

Zoo keepers trained Ozzie for months on how to use the cuff before he did it on his own. Zoo officials say the machine can be used to detect heart problems in aging gorillas like Ozzie, who is 48 years old.

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On the Net:

Zoo Atlanta: http://www.zooatlanta.org/

[Associated Press]

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