Our Zoo veterinarians and Mammalogy staff have been implementing innovative techniques to understand cardiac disease in gelada (Theropithecus gelada). We are one of only two U.S. zoos that display gelada, and the founding members of our current troop originated from European zoos. WCS pathologists have discovered a high incidence of cardiac disease in deceased gelada, which is very worrisome. Our colleagues at European institutions report cardiac disease as common in their gelada also. The suspicion is that the animals develop fatal cardiac arrhythmias from which they die. To investigate the health of our gelada troop, WCS veterinarians teamed up with cardiologists from Mount Sinai Hospital and placed advanced cardiac monitors on gelada which record ECGs and heart rates when the device detects abnormal cardiac rhythms and rates. The data is then transmitted by wireless technology to a monitor, and sent directly to cardiologists by cellular service. This is one of the first times such monitors have ever been used in non-human primates. The geladas are closely monitored daily, and veterinarians and cardiologists continue to analyze data from the devices to help understand their cardiac function and to hopefully intervene medically if cardiac disease is detected. Follow link below to read more....