The Detroit Zoo welcomed the second baby gorilla born in the zoo's history earlier this month.
According to zoo officials, the female was born to first-time mom Tulivu in the late evening on Sunday, July 12. The mom, baby and baby's father, Mshindi, are all doing well.
“As a first-time mom, Tulivu made this about as smooth as a pregnancy can go,” Detroit Zoo Chief Life Sciences Officer Mike Murray said in a statement. “Over her eight-and-a-half months of pregnancy, she voluntarily trained to receive routine ultrasounds through positive reinforcement, giving our veterinary team a clear window into the baby’s development the entire way.”
Now, the zoo is asking people to help choose the name of the baby gorilla! People visiting the Great Apes of Harambee habitat from July 29-31 can cast a vote for one of three finalists. They are:
- Lobéké (loh-BEH-KAY) – Named after a national park in Cameroon that's home to one of the world's highest densities of western lowland gorillas.
- Usala (oo-SAH-la) – A conservation corridor in Congo that means "Forest" in the Kikumu language.
- Amateka (a-ma-TEH-kah) – Means "History" in the Kinyarwanda language.
Voting is available only in-person, and hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
“To have a second gorilla born here at the Zoo, and be a half-sibling to Motema, is incredibly meaningful for our team and for this critically endangered species,” Murray said. “Every birth in an accredited zoo helps strengthen the conservation story for gorillas. This is the result of years of careful, coordinated work, and I am so proud of our entire team who worked tirelessly along the way to make this happen.”
Tulivu and Mshindi came to the Detroit Zoo in 2023 from the Cincinnati Zoo on a breeding and transfer recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
