Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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UChc Gamecock Gorillas CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 are a lot of human qualities — and how tranquil that they are,” said Richard Roth of Columbia, who brought three friends with him. He called the exhibit “very well put together and obviously very natural.” The exhibit covers about three-fourths of an acre, including a hilly outdoor habitat lushly landscaped with banana trees and other foliage. The gorillas also have an air-conditioned indoor area outfitted with ropes for climbing and wooden posts where they lounge nonchalantly. Kwan, a 12-year-old male bom at the N.C. Zoo, is the leader of the group. So far, he’s been the one to explore the outdoor habitat the most, said Riverbanks Executive Director Satch Krantz. At first, Kwan would tip banana leaves off the trees. Now, zoo officials say, he simply pulls whole trees up by their roots. After a late-aftemoon shower earlier this week, he sat regally in front of the habitat’s viewing area, munching on a stalk. Finished, he rolled on his back, emitted a big yawn, then ambled over the hill to the apes’ indoor quarters. Kwan is hard to miss. Nearly twice as large as the females, he has a gray saddle on his back that is the mark of mature males. The females — Kumba, Kowali, and Bulera — all are on human birth control. Because the lowland gorillas, native to West Africa, are an endangered species, their breeding in the United States is monitored closely and controlled by a national group of veterinarians and other experts. At 31, Kumba is the oldest in the troop and is one of the first captive-bom gorillas in the world. She and the other two females were bom at Lincoln Park Zoo. She is the mother of Kowali, a chubby, shy 23-year old. Bulera, a 12-year-old, was the last to join the group, and she has yet to form a strong bond with the other females. people are mesmerized oy mem, Krantz said. “They are so much like us, their facial expressions and behavior. I think we are all baffled about something that makes us wonder about ourselves.” The. gorillas are the only animals at Riverbanks with names. All of the other zoo animals at are known only by their species. “We would prefer for our visitors to relate to an individual animal as an elephant, as a gorilla, as a tiger, as a giraffe — not as Suzy or Joe or Bill,” Krantz said. “They’re not people. In the wild, a giraffe doesn’t have a name.” But because the Chicago zoo, which owns the gorillas, names its animals, Riverbanks felt obligated to keep the gorillas’ names, he said. After the troop returns to Chicago, Riverbanks intends to acquire replacement gorillas for its $4 million habitat, which is designed for eight full-grown animals. “We feel that this is probably a state-of-the-art gorilla exhibit,” Krantz said. “I don’t know of one in the country that is any better.” Krantz said the exhibit is entertaining for all ages, even college students, especially considering that admission to Riverbanks is comparable to an evening movie. Before the gorillas arrived in Columbia, a rock climber tested every inch of the outdoor habitat. With the help of ropes and harnesses, even he couldn’t escape, which assured zoo officials the gorillas would be secure. Also, cage doors are wheel-operated, so power failures pose no threat to security. The gorilla exhibit is the first completed element of the Ndoki Forest, part of a $19 million zoo expansion project. By 2002, Riverbanks hopes to have completed its elephant and koala exhibits. For now, the gorilla habitat is bordered by construction. But that didn’t diminish visitors’ fascination this week. “They’re huge, and they’re hairy,” said Gale DuBose of Columbia, staring at Kowali. “And they’re not something we see every day.” The news desk can be reached at gamecockudesk® hotmail.com Photos by Ann Marie Miani/The Gamecock Riverbanks Zoo's newest inhabitants are four gorillas — three females and one male. Refunds CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Also, 32 million low-income taxpayers who pay only Social Security and Medicare taxes don’t qualify for a refund. The last two digits of your Social Security number determine when you will receive your check. Congress passed Bush’s tax plan shortly before Memorial Day in hopes of stimulating a sluggish economy. Single taxpayers will receive $300, single parents will receive $500 and married taxpayers will get $600. “I told the American people that our federal government was overcharging them,” Bush said. “I said the federal government was overcharging them, and on your behalf I demanded a refund.” Republicans are claiming the tax cut as a victory. State GOP Chairman Henry McMaster said, “The president’s tax relief is historic. This is a victory for the American people, and the credit belongs to President George W. Bush and other Republicans who helped make it happen.” But the prospect of getting tax money back has received mixed reviews from some USC students. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” Tobe Holmes said. “I’ve never received a check in the mail for $300, and I don’t imagine I ever will again.” Others said the money would come in handy because attending school means working less. Most commonly, students said they would pay off credit card debts with the extra money, a step that financial experts say is the best use for the tax refunds. One student opposed to the tax cuts said he plans on purchasing illegal drugs with his tax refund. Because the tax cuts are aimed at stimulating the economy, the student said that spending money on the black market will subvert the purpose of the refunds. Both Gov. Hodges and Senator Fritz Hollings opposed Bush’s tax cut plan, and Hollings attempted to block the federal refund checks. Biology major Jay Joniec, who was also opposed to tax cuts, said, “The state of South Carolina was $500 million short this year because representatives insisted on cutting taxes endlessly. The bottom line is, you have to have tax revenues to run the government. Bush’s tax cut plan will reduce government revenue by as much as $1.8 trillion over the next 10 years. In addition, the federal government spent $34 million informing taxpayers about the refunds. That includes the notices sent to individuals who wouldn't be receiving tax refunds. “There are tens of millions of Americans who may think they’re going to get a check and who are going to be bitterly disappointed,” said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster, said sending the letters was a mistake. “Never send a notice to hard working taxpayers saying you will get nothing,” Lake said. Democrats have also criticized Republicans for using the refund checks as a means of political promotion. At issue is a phrase printed on each check, “Tax relief for America’s workers,” which was the political slogan used by Republicans pushing for the cut. Terry McAulifee, the Democratic national chairman, said, “Checks from the U.S. Treasury should not be used as political props.” The news desk can be reached at gamecockudesk® hotmail.com Great Roommate Floorplan! - Spacious 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom apartments available - Only 1 mile from USC! The Rapids APARTMENT JH O M E~S Amenities Galore! Hurry.... They're going fast! #1 Catawba Circle • 779-5888