Adopt a Gorilla or Golden Lion Tamarin.
Human
Origins Program at
the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History.
Gorilla Born at the Zoo's Great Ape House
 |
| Photo by FONZ Photo Club member Jonathan Kang |
On January 10, a western lowland gorilla was born at the Zoo's Great Ape House to 26-year-old Mandara and 16-year-old Baraka. The newborn represents the seventh successful gorilla birth for the Zoo since 1991. Both mother and baby appear to be doing well.
The newborn joins siblings Kigali, Kwame and Kojo, as well as Baraka's mother, Haloko, at the Great Ape House. All of the Zoo’s gorillas will remain on exhibit. Visitors can see them every day between 10 a.m. and 4:43 p.m.
This newborn is the sixth offspring for Mandara. The baby’s sex has not yet been determined. More photos and updates will be posted as they become available. A video is available below.
 |
| Photo by Jonathan Kang |
The gorilla birth is significant for the Zoo. Western lowland gorillas, which are native to tropical forests of West and Central Africa, are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation and poaching. The Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan for gorillas, in which North American zoos collaborate to encourage the development of a self-sustaining zoo gorilla population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable, helping to ensure the survival of this endangered species.
Celebrate the birth—adopt a western lowland gorilla!
Video of Mother and Newborn, and Interview With a Keeper
Primate Photo Gallery |
Help with cam
Can’t see any animals?
The animal in this exhibit may have moved out of view. FONZ volunteers operate some cams, but most of our cams show a fixed view.
Watching gorillas:
The Zoo is home to a family group of seven western lowland gorillas, three females and three males, and a baby born on January 10 (sex has not yet been determined). Two of the males are juveniles who were born here at the Zoo—Kojo, who was born in November 2001, and Kwame, who was born in November 1999. The third male, Baraka, is a silverback, born here in in 1992. Gorillas are the world's largest primates and one of our closest relatives.
Gorilla Facts | 
Meet the Gorillas | Adopt a Gorilla
Golden Lion Tamarin Cam
Primates at the Zoo
The Zoo is home to many primates. Orangutans and western lowland gorillas can be found at the Great Ape House. Smaller primates, including golden lion tamarins,
Geoffroy's marmosets, and howler monkeys, can be found in the Small Mammal House. Look for gibbons at Gibbon Ridge and lemurs at Lemur Island. Find out where primates can be seen at the Zoo.
On mild days, the organgutans can sometimes be seen overhead as they travel along the O Line between the Great Ape House and Think Tank. The time visitors are mostly likely to see these apes on the O Line is between 11 and 11:30 a.m.
About Primates
There are 376 species of primates in the world—from humans and apes to monkeys and prosimians ("premonkeys").
The smallest primate is the pygmy mouse lemur, which can fit in the palm of your hand. The largest—the gorilla—can weigh more than 400 pounds. Most primates live in warm climates, and most depend on forests for their survival. More Primate Facts
