Gorillas are the world’s largest primate species, with males weighing up to 500 pounds.
Home to 23 Western lowland gorillas, Zoo Atlanta’s Ford African Rain Forest was one of North America’s first naturalistic gorilla habitats when it opened in 1989.
Gorilla Facts
Status in the Wild There are five subspecies of gorillas, but Western lowland gorillas are the only subspecies housed in zoos. All five subspecies are either endangered or critically endangered, with the primary threats being habitat loss, the bushmeat trade (hunting for food) and diseases like Ebola.
Diet Gorillas are vegetarians, feeding primarily on leaves, roots and fruit.
Reproduction Females are responsible for all aspects of infant care, generally giving birth to single offspring every four years. Infants are typically weaned by the age of 3, after which they enter a juvenile period and spend much of their time playing with peers.
Females reach maturity around age 8 and often leave their natal groups in search of mates. Males are considered adults by about the age of 14 but are usually older by the time they are able to lead a group. Not all adult males become group leaders; many spend the majority of their adult lives as solitary individuals.
Lifespan While gorillas can live up to 50 years in captivity, their lifespan is considerably shorter in the wild (40 years for females, early 30s for males).
Our Groups Zoo Atlanta houses five distinct social groups of gorillas; three of these are family groups, and we have two bachelor (all-male) groups. Two of the Zoo’s family groups – Taz’s group and Ozzie’s group – consist of an adult male (silverback), several females and their offspring; the third, Ivan’s group, consists of a male and one female.
OZZIE’S GROUP:
Ozoum (aka Ozzie) Place and DOB: Africa, approximately 1961 Fun Facts: This 320-pound silverback is a terrific father who has sired many of Zoo Atlanta’s gorillas. He often vocalizes in “reply” to keepers, and he raps on doors or windows to get their attention. Favorite Food: Cabbage, collard greens and fruit
Machi
Place and DOB: Yerkes National Primate Research Center, March 1, 1976
Fun Facts: Machi’s name means “March” in Swahili. She enjoys hanging upside down. Her claim to fame is that she is the mother of Willie B.’s only male offspring. She weighs about 200 pounds.
Favorite Food: Bananas
Olympia
Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, June 22, 1996; second offspring of Willie B. FunFacts: Olympia was born during the 1996 Summer Olympics. A quiet, very intelligent female, she plans ahead and is very proficient at using tools to obtain objects such as food. Favorite Food: Fruit
IVAN’S GROUP:
Ivan
Place and DOB:
Africa, approximately 1962
Fun Facts: Ivan enjoys going outside and relaxing in the sun, but he dislikes cold weather. He loves burlap bags and often brings them outside with him so that he can avoid walking on the wet ground. Ivan spends most of his day eating, sleeping and socializing with other group members. Another of his favorite pastimes is painting. He often bangs on doors to get keepers’ attention.
Favorite Food: Bananas and zucchini
Kinyani Place and DOB: Yerkes National Primate Research Center, March 16, 1983 Fun Facts: Kinyani is one of Ivan’s best friends and can be easily identified by the reddish hair around her head. She has a mind of her own, using sticks as tools to reach things like door handles and light switches outside her enclosure. Favorite Food:
Prunes
TAZ’S GROUP:
Taz Place and DOB:
Zoo Atlanta, July 20, 1989 Fun Facts: Taz’s name means “to look at” in Swahili. He is the father of Kali, Kazi, Macy Baby and Gunther. Taz is usually very serious, but he has his silly moments (he likes to spin on his back on newly washed floors). He’s great at catching things, especially his food at lunchtime. He likes to show off for all the female gorillas, whether they are in his group or not. He weighs 365 pounds. Favorite Food: Taz has many preferred food items, but his least favorite food is grapefruit.
Kuchi Place and DOB:Yerkes National Primate Research Center , October 10, 1984 Fun Facts:Kuchi earned her nickname “Supermom;” she is the only gorilla in North America ever to raise twins. Favorite Food:Bananas and grapes; she can also usually be seen eating everyone else’s leftover fruit peels.
Kudzoo
Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, February 8, 1994; Willie B.’s firstborn
Fun Facts:Kudzoo is a new mother; she gave birth to Willie B.’s granddaughter Macy Baby on December 12, 2005. She acts very sophisticated and loves to use lots of hay to build her nests.
Favorite Food: Watermelon
Sukari Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, May 12, 1998; fourth offspring of Willie B. Fun Facts: Sukari’s name means “sugar” in Swahili. She gave birth to Willie B.’s grandson Gunther on July 5, 2006. Sukari is the life of the party and loves attention, making silly faces and lots of noise during feeding time. She can often be seen playing in the rain. Favorite Food: She doesn’t appear to have a preference!
Lulu Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, August 22, 1999; fifth offspring of Willie B. Fun Facts: Lulu’s name means “pearl” in Swahili. She is the half-sister of the twins Kali and Kazi and has adopted a protective role toward them. She is a tomboy and is always sticking up for herself against the older gorillas. Favorite Food: Fruit juice
Twins – Kali (boy) and Kazi (girl) Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, October 31, 2005. Fun Facts: Keepers call him Kal for short. Kal likes to show off for dad Taz, often wrestling around with him and displaying just like him to others. He also spends a lot of time with his mom. Kazi loves spending time with her Aunt Lulu and is the more adventurous of the two. Favorite Food: They both love fruits and enjoy evening juice time.
Macy B. Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, December 12, 2005; Willie B.’s granddaughter Fun Facts: Macy has always been a very strong baby and often rides around clinging to her mother’s shin. She makes a distinctive, contented noise when she’s eating. She can usually be seen on exhibit playing with Gunther. Favorite Food: Bananas
Gunther Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, July 5, 2006; Willie B.’s grandson Fun Facts: Gunther is very independent, quite content on his own or hanging out with Macy. He frequently smiles and likes to attend training sessions with his dad. Off exhibit he likes to make his siblings carry him around on their backs even though they’re nearly the same size.
Favorite Food: Grapes, bananas and kiwi
BACHELORS:
Kekla
Place and DOB: First gorilla born at Zoo Atlanta, March 15, 1989 Fun Facts: At 345 pounds, Kekla is a very large silverback. His name means “dawn” in Bawanese (a West African language). He is very friendly.
Favorite Food: Kekla’s least favorite food is onions.
Stadi Place and DOB:Zoo Atlanta, May 14, 1991 Fun Facts: His name means "expert" in Swahili. He weighs 362 lbs and is all muscle. He acts like a big brother to Charlie.
Charlie Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, June 7, 1996. Fun Facts: Not yet a silverback, although he thinks he is, Charlie is easy to distinguish from his larger half-brothers Kekla and Stadi. He is very smart, often sneaky and enjoys wrestling and playing with Stadi and Kekla. Many people like to watch Charlie try to steal his brothers fruit at the 2:30 feeding. Favorite Food: Charlie likes to soak his food in water.
Willie B. Jr’s Group:
Willie B. Jr (aka Kidogo) Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, April 8, 1998 Fun Facts: Kidogo is the only male offspring of the late Willie B. and is the spitting image of his father. At 200 pounds, he is well on his way to becoming a large silverback like his dad. He is playful and very silly, sometimes running backward beating his chest. Favorite Food: Kidogo loves all foods!
Jasiri Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, June 21, 1998. Fun Facts: Jasiri’s name means “to venture” in Swahili. He is hardly ever serious (he likes to wear bamboo on his head) and loves to play with Mbeli, Willie B., Jr., and sometimes with dad Ozzie. Favorite Food: Grapefruit
Mbeli Place and DOB: Zoo Atlanta, May 27, 2002 Fun Facts: Mbeli loves to spend all day playing with his brothers and role models Jasiri and Willie B., Jr. He also loves playing with sailcloth. Favorite Food: Bananas
Ladies Group:
Shamba Place and DOB: Africa, approximately 1958. Fun Facts:Shamba’s name means “garden” in Swahili. Zoo Atlanta’soldest gorilla, Shamba was recently a grandmother with the births of her son Taz’s offspring. She is one of our sweetest gorillas and loves having her belly tickled. Favorite Food: Onions and raisins
Choomba Place and DOB: Africa, approximately 1963 Fun Facts: At 220 pounds, Choomba is a large female. Now a great-great grandmother, she is the matriarch of four generations of gorillas at Zoo Atlanta. Favorite Food: Oranges
Ozoum (aka Ozzie)
Machi
Ivan
Kekla
