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April 27, 2007
Well, it’s hard to follow such a great report from Dr. Tara Stoinski! Watching the babies play together is one of the best perks of our daily routine. We really wish that visitors would get to see what we see behind the scenes. Outside on exhibit Kuchi is having a hard time keeping Kali & Kazi corralled and under control! We don’t think that she’ll be able to do it for long, so be on the lookout for the twins to be racing in opposite directions to catch food at the 2:00 PM daily feeding. Kudzoo and Sukari are a little more relaxed with Macy B. & Gunther. Those two are often seen several feet away from their mothers eating pieces of fruit. Macy B. & Gunther also get to explore their habitat more than the twins. Gunther will even come and climb up the mesh to get some treats at our afternoon training session. Of course, Gunther keeps an eye out for Taz and moves out of the way to let his dad show him how training is done! Kudzoo has been seen several times carrying Macy B. & Gunther at the same time, showing us that Kuchi is not the only gorilla we have that is capable of caring for two infants. Looks like there will be some competition for a “Mother of the Year” award! Macy B. insists on riding in the position closest to Kudzoo’s head. Come on out and enjoy a summer of growing and playful gorilla infants!
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper II

Taz and Kali

April 16, 2007
Although it is obvious to see how much time and energy the gorilla mothers devote to their infants, the fathers’ role is often more indirect and subtle. Taz, a 17 year old silverback, is the father of all four of Zoo Atlanta’s infant gorillas. Visitors to the zoo often wonder what Taz’s role is in raising the infants and how he interacts with them.

Although Taz definitely shows interest in his offspring, his responsibility is not to parent the infants. Rearing is almost exclusively carried out by the mothers. However, the mothers would not be able to devote as much time and energy to their infants if Taz did not insure the safety of his troop. Indeed, silverbacks are primarily responsible for maintaining security and protecting their troop from potential threats, and we often see Taz displaying this protective instinct with his own troop.

Most of Taz’s interactions with the infants occur inside the indoor holding area where the gorillas spend each night. Taz enjoys playing with the babies, especially the two boys Kali and Gunther! Taz’s play bouts with the infants will hopefully help develop their muscles and motor skills and also serve to further develop the relationship between father and offspring. Outside, the mothers are more protective of their infants, and so Taz’s interactions with them are often limited to just watching them playing with each other and rolling around in the grass. However, the other day he picked up Gunther and carried him around for a few minutes! Taz also serves as a disciplinarian to the infants and will reinforce his dominance whenever the infants overstep their boundaries. In this way, Taz serves as a role model to the infants and will teach them valuable lessons about social rules in gorilla societies. One of the best times to catch Taz spending quality time with his offspring is at the 2:00pm feeding (daily) so stop by today and see how truly incredible Taz is as a father and group leader.
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager of Conservation Partnerships

March 29, 2007
Taz and his family group are really becoming so much fun to watch! They’re growing up fast and starting to get so much personality.

Gunther is just the happiest little boy. He always wants to play even if he’s by himself. He loves to go up to dad and start beating his chest and joins in with the other kids even though they’re bigger than he is.

All the twins do is wrestle with each other. Kazi, being the tomboy she is, usually ends up pinning her brother Kali to the ground. Mom still has a hold of the twins ankles while outside on exhibit and hardly lets them go anywhere. Inside the bedrooms in the building is where they get most of their freedom from mom.

Every night Macy B. plays with her favorite toy, it’s a ball that has rattles inside that makes lots of noise. The past few days Kudzoo has been seen carrying both Macy and Gunther around on her back. I think she’s jealous of Kuchi and wants two herself. Sukari’s usually not too far behind trying to retrieve Gunther eventually.

After the babies eat some dinner and drink some juice it’s a free for all and there are babies running around everywhere! They usually converge in a big ball on top of hay for a long wrestling match before they wind down for the night.

Make sure you come out to the zoo this for month APEril. Check out the zoo’s website for more details! Come learn all about Apes!
Jodi Carrigan
Primate Keeper

Macy B.

March 1, 2007
All of our babies are continuing to grow and play like crazy! Kali & Kazi are the most active followed closely by Macy B. Gunther is getting more mobile and coordinated and follows along behind his mother, Sukari, on occasion. Kuchi has a hard time keeping the twins with her. They want to run away in opposite directions. All four of the babies have been seen playing and wrestling with each other on a regular basis. The twins will sometimes double up on Gunther, but he loves every minute of it! He always has a huge grin on his face. Taz also continues to try to play with the babies and is usually quite gentle. Macy B. joins in when Kudzoo allows her to, otherwise, she seems quite content to play by herself or with her mother. The weather is getting warmer, so look for everyone to be out more often. The spring should be very entertaining with all of the antics going on!
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper II

Sukari and Gunther

February 15, 2007
With the return of warm weather, our four gorilla infants (the twins are now 15 months, Macy B. is 14 months and Gunther is 7 months) and their family have been able to spend more time outside. As the infants develop, their awareness of their environment continues to increase. Part of this awareness includes an interest in zoo guests. The three mothers will occasionally bring their babies close to the observation window in the Willie B. Center and allow their infants to play and ‘interact’ through the glass with guests. The babies, especially the twins, enjoy playing in front of the window and pressing their faces up against the glass to get a closer look at the humans peering back at them. Kazi (the female twin) and Gunther sometimes put their hands up to the window to “touch” the human hands on the other side. During these times, the youngsters seem as intrigued by us as we are by them. However, if the location becomes too loud or people bang on the window, the mothers are quick to move the babies to a quieter location.
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager of Conservation Partnerships

February 2, 2007
All the gorillas get cabin fever when the cold prevents them from going outside, but the babies don't seem to mind it as much because they still get to run around and play all day. They are very entertaining... the keepers can't help but spend some our afternoons watching them wrestle each other. We've been trying to change up their indoor environment to keep them busy with new items to play on. They've been enjoying running around on a playschool jungle gym the most. Hopefully the weather gets a bit nicer soon so they can spend more time out in the habitat!
Jodi Carrigan
Primate Keeper

January 18, 2007
I am happy to say that all of our gorilla babies are doing great and developing well. Since the twins Kali and Kazi have each other to play with so often, it has been fun to watch the growing relationship between Gunther and his older sister Macy B.. Macy treats Gunther like her own personal plush toy. She pummels him and jumps up and down on him and although it may sound a little rough, Gunther loves it. One of his most striking features, which is very prominent for a 7-month-old gorilla, is how expressive his face is when he is playing and wrestling with another of his siblings. Grinning and laughing. Yes gorillas do have a sort of laugh that is a chuckling sound that they make when they are playing. Gunther has also moved beyond the crawling stage and can now toddle along on all fours.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

January 4 , 2007
Happy New Year everyone! All of our babies are continuing to thrive and get more adventurous by the day, but with the colder weather, the group may not always be visible. The temperature must be at least 50 degrees for the little ones. On the days they’re out, they are as active as ever! Macy B. loves to climb the tall vine to the top of the artificial tree and then slide down like a fireman. Kudzoo just keeps an eye on her from the ground. Kali still stays close to his mom, Kuchi, but Kazi is always running off with Lulu or playing with Macy B. Gunther is getting stronger and more confident. Macy B. comes to play with him sometimes and he plays with his mom, Sukari. Taz is being very good as a father and has been seen gently picking up Kali or Kazi to look at them. He always puts them back down gently before Kuchi gets too nervous.
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper II

December 21, 2006
All four babies are now playing with each other. Gunther loves playing with the twins although they are a little bigger than he is and a bit stronger but he sure can fend for himself. I always catch him running towards them with a smile on his face. Taz has been doing really well with all the infants. He has played with them all but seems to prefer to play with the boys, Gunther and Kal, more than Macy and Kazi. Kazi is still as active as ever and is rarely seen with her mom when they're inside. She's always on her own or with Aunt Lulu. Kal stills hangs very close to his mom. Macy also ventures away from mom as well and she's not afraid to walk right up to any of the adults and eat some of their food... even Taz!
Jodi Carrigan
Primate Keeper

	Macy B.

December 8, 2006
Kuchi still seems determined to hang on to the twins Kali and Kazi all the time when they are outside on exhibit. Kazi frequently gets away and Kuchi has to chase her round and round the tree while she holds on to Kali. Kuchi has not had to worry much about Kudzoo trying to steal one of the twins for a while now, but she still keeps a close rein on her kids. Kudzoo is also not as snobby as she once was and doesn’t seem to mind if Macy B. plays with the twins from time to time. Macy will be one year old next week and she looks almost exactly like Kudzoo did at that age. Günter is five months old this week and his mother Sukari seems to be holding him close and nursing him often. He is a healthy and happy looking baby gorilla with a really cool hairstyle.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

November 30, 2006
The twins Kali & Kazi have been having a great time playing in the fall leaves. Kazi will grab an armload of leaves and fall backwards and will flap her arms and legs around and will beat on her stomach. Then she gets up and does it again! Kudzoo has been much more permissive with Macy Baby and has allowed her more time to play with the twins lately. Just the other day Macy Baby was seen diving into piles of leaves and having fun. She will be a year old on December 12. Gunther gets more coordinated by the day and is venturing out a little from Sukari to explore objects. Macy Baby was observed trying to wrestle with Gunther but Sukari didn’t allow Macy to play too roughly.
Kristina Krickbaum
Keeper II, Primates

November 16, 2006
All the gorilla babies continue to thrive and become a little more independent. Kudzoo allows Macy Baby a good bit of freedom, but Kuchi still keeps the twins within arms’ reach. Gunther, of course, still stays really close to Sukari, although he is more independent than most gorillas his age. We think this is because of the influence that seeing Kudzoo and Kuchi with their older children has had on Sukari as she develops her mothering style.
Jodi Carrigan
Primate Keeper

November 2, 2006
Kuchi, the 22 year old mother of twins Kali and Kazi, has reached a milestone in maternal care of gorilla infants. The twins just turned one year on Halloween and Kuchi is the first gorilla mom to raise twins for this length of time. The babies are getting more coordinated each day and can now climb around on the vines in the habitat with ease. Kuchi carries the two bundles around with them latched on by the strong grip in their hands and feet. Sometimes she is carrying one while the other toddles along in front of her.

Kudzoo's baby, 11 month old Macy B., is doing excellent and frequently seen trying to play with the twins. Kudzoo seemed a bit possessive about her baby playing with the other kids at first, but is being more permissive these days. She has not been as persistent about trying to steal one of the twins as she used to be.

Sukari carries her baby boy, 4 month old Günter, in a lot of positions that we usually see moms do with older babies. She seems to be very confident with him and is doing a pretty good job as a first time mom.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

October 19, 2006
All of our babies are continuing to do well. Kudzoo is allowing Macy B to play with Kali and Kazi more often, usually indoors. Sukari is doing well with Gunther and he is becoming more curious about his surroundings daily. Sukari can be seen setting him down frequently while on exhibit and Gunther is working on his crawling skills as he tries to return to her. Lulu still carries one of the twins frequently. With the cooler weather all of the gorilla moms are keeping their babies close and warm. There may be days when they won't be on exhibit or for short periods in the afternoon when it's the sunniest. Come out for Boo at the Zoo this weekend, the twins will be getting a special cake as they celebrate their first birthday! All of the gorillas will get special treats, so that no one will feel left out.
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper

Sukari and baby Gunther

October 5, 2006
Animal management staff and veterinary staff were recently able to examine Sukari’s baby, born on July 6, and have determined that the baby is a boy. In honor of his 35th anniversary at Zoo Atlanta, Curator of Primates, Charles Horton, was given the responsibility of naming the baby and chose to name him Gunther, after a friend and former co-worker who was admired for his dedication to the animals with which he worked. All four babies are becoming more active, especially around the afternoon feedings which take place at 2:00 p.m. daily.
Jennifer Waller
Public Relations Coordinator

September 20, 2006
Lulu has become a fantastic babysitter for her mother, Kuchi. She’s often seen carrying either one of the twins around. Taz and Sukari have started to stay in the same area overnight and are doing very well together. The twins and Macy are starting to interact a bit more as you can see in the lower picture of all three of them on the tree. The twins have such a great bond and they really enjoy playing together. Kali and Kazi are going to celebrate their 1st birthday on Halloween but we’re going to celebrate during the Boo at the Zoo event on Saturday, October 28th. You don’t want to miss it! Taz’s group is going to be getting birthday cakes at 2pm that day. We have to give them all cakes to make sure that Kuchi and the twins are guaranteed to get some. Now that the weather is starting to cool down the gorillas seem to be a bit more active in the afternoons so it’s a great time of year to stop by the zoo and check them out.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

Kali and Kazi with mom, Kuchi

September 6, 2006
Kali & Kazi are very playful and always have a great time in the Gorilla Building. Kuchi tends to be more relaxed about them inside. Kudzoo is more relaxed about Macy B. outside and keeps her closer indoors. Outside on exhibit, Kudzoo will let Macy B get 20 feet or more away from her. Kali, Kazi & Macy B also try for their share of fruit at the afternoon feedings. Kuchi has a hard time trying to keep track of both kids and get her fruit! The twins try to play with Macy B, but often Kudzoo breaks that up. Lulu helps Kuchi with the twins and is seen carrying one or the other around for brief periods. Taz is really interested in the babies and is very gentle with them. He has carried Kali around indoors several times making happy vocalizations. Inside the building in the morning Taz is very playful with the girls and has been especially interested in Sukari and her baby. He is very cute as he rolls around on the floor trying to tickle and hug Sukari. Taz also like to play with toys while inside and will amuse himself throwing a ball or Kong toy around.
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper

August 24, 2006
The gorillas are doing fantastic! All the babies are growing up so quickly. Dad (Taz) has even started taking an interest in the little ones. I caught him carrying, holding and playing with Kali (a.k.a. Kal - boy twin) the other day and they were both tickling each other laughing and having a great time together. Mom did not even seem to care too much. Now that they are getting bigger we hope to see them play together a lot more. We are very proud of Taz. Being a first time dad he's doing better than we had expected. The twins are quickly approaching their first birthday on October 31st and we are looking forward to celebrating that! There is not too much more that I can say about the gorilla babies besides that they are adorable and always doing something new and cute. Macy seems to enjoy time on her own a bit more. Kazi loves to put straw and grass on her head. Kal gets angry at his sister in the evening when she gets in the way of him getting his juice and the newest addition hasn't left mom (Sukari) yet but is getting more and more alert about its surroundings everyday.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

	The twins-Kali and Kazi-with Macy

August 10, 2006
Sukari has proven to be an excellent mother to her new gorilla infant. In fact she was seen nursing her baby within a very short time following the birth, which is very good for a first time mother and a big relief for the animal care staff. The new baby roots around when it is hungry and Sukari was seen guiding her new baby to just the right spot. This is one of the healthiest and most vigorous newborn gorillas we have seen at Zoo Atlanta , being very wide eyed and wiggling about. 

She has also decided it's ok to let the baby ride on her back which is a little premature at five weeks. Kudzoo, with Macy B. clinging to her leg as usual, was seen Saturday following Sukari around and trying to scoop the little one from her back. Sukari put out a hand to gently fend her off and actually wound up hugging her older sister Kudzoo. They seem to be working out the boundaries on there own without anyone getting upset. Because Kudzoo now has another baby to attempt to steal, Kuchi seems relieved that she isn't always after Kali and Kazi.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

July 20, 2006
Sukari and her new baby are doing very well. Sukari is very attentive and the infant is observed nursing often. Taz has been very gentle and was observed trying to play with Sukari this morning and he tried to touch the baby gently several times. Kudzoo stays close to Sukari more so than the other females, but has not tried to take the baby. Lulu is often seen with one of Kuchi’s twins, usually Kali. Kuchi doesn’t usually mind. Kudzoo still manages to take one of the twins from time to time, but there has not been a problem with Kuchi taking her baby back. Taz is settling in nicely to his role as a father and a group leader. He has been seen on several occasions gently playing with Kuchi, Kali and Kazi.
Kristina Krickbaum
Primate Keeper

Our newest addition! Sukari and baby

July 6, 2006
Sukari gave birth on exhibit yesterday around 3 p.m. She had just given birth immediately before we opened the door to bring her and the group inside. She's being a great mom and is attending to her baby at all times. Kudzoo and Lulu are always trying to catch a glimpse. Even Macy went over to the new addition. The infant appears to be strong and healthy. We will be keeping a close watch for several days. The first 72 hours are the most important. Father Taz seems very happy with the newest addition. Sukari fell asleep right across the way in view of Taz tonight.

Lately, Taz has been getting a bit more involved with the kids and even plays regularly with Kuchi and Kudzoo. Kali, Kazi and Macy B. are all eating solid foods now. They still rely mainly on mom's milk but love to snack on solids. The are particularly fond of baby food, grapes, fruits, and they absolutely love juice! The visitors get a kick out of watching them eat at the daily 2 p.m. feedings. The group will be on exhibit tomorrow, with Taz being re-introduced to the group in a few days. This will allow everyone to get adjusted.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

June 22, 2006
The twins Kali and Kazi are nearly eight months old and Willie B's first grandchild Macy B. is now a full 6 months old. The twins are getting more and more curious and actively exploring. Mom, Kuchi has a hard time keeping a handle on both of them simultaneously and one is often wandering away. When this happens Kudzoo will often pick up the stray baby and when Kuchi realizes what's happened , she has to follow Kudzoo around to retrieve her infant since Kudzoo seems to be trying to claim it as "finders keepers". On the other hand, expectant mother Sukari will often pick up the stray infant, but it seems she if being more protective and trying to assist Kuchi, rather than make a claim. Our gorilla babies are lucky to have so many who care so much.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

June 6, 2006
The Zoo Atlanta trio of baby gorillas is getting more and more active each day. The twins, Kali and Kazi, love to play with each other and are becoming quite a handful for mom Kuchi. Their favorite game is wrestling, bouncing and climbing all over mom. They also still love exploring, especially to visit with other gorillas. Kazi was even seen attempting to climb up into the big tree after dad Taz! Macy B. has also been stretching her legs more and more, crawling off of Kudzoo to have a look around. Both moms are giving their infants a bit more freedom, while still keeping a good eye on them. Kudzoo spent one whole afternoon following Macy B. around the exhibit as she investigated new foods and faces. Both moms have also displayed protective behavior, stopping their infants from wandering too close to the electric fences protecting the trees. We are all still awaiting the arrival of Sukari’s baby, so she’s had plenty of opportunity to keep learning from the other moms. She’s a particular favorite of all three babies and Kuchi seems comfortable when she carries them as long as she doesn’t go too far.
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager of Conservation Partnerships

Kudzoo and Macy

April 26, 2006
Macy is starting to venture a bit more while on exhibit. Kudzoo sets her down in the grass to crawl around from time to time.

The twins are really trying to get a hold of food now. You can usually see them trying to get a piece of mom’s apple at the afternoon feeding. The twins have been drinking juice and eating baby foods, cheerios, applesauce and other small pieces of food but mainly rely on mom’s milk. They usually have something in their mouth whether it be leaves or some leftover greens from their breakfast. Kuchi is allowing them to leave her side, as far as about 4-5 feet, while on exhibit but still keeping a close eye on them. Kali and Kazi have great personalities and Macy is just starting to find hers. We are awaiting the arrival of our next infant from first time mom-to-be Sukari. I’m sure the twins and Macy are excited to have a new brother or sister to grow up with. We’ve seen Kali and Kazi playing with each other the past two weeks. You can usually see them wrestling with each other and smiling.

Make sure you come out and see the twins… they’re growing up so fast!
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

April 12, 2006
We are now in the home stretch in awaiting the arrival of 8-year-old Sukari's first baby. Sukari should deliver in the next 2-3 weeks. She could not have been in a better environment to learn about infant care than to have Kuchi's twins Kali and Kazi around as well as Kudzoo's infant Macy B.

Kudzoo has been such a supermom that she once kidnapped Kazi in their indoor habitat while Kuchi wasn't watching. Both the twins will now crawl away and often climb the mesh panels inside while Kuchi is busy eating or sitting in the same spot for a while. When Kuchi went to retrieve Kazi from Kudzoo, Kali became uneasy and started crying a bit. Sukari, being nearby took Kali from the mesh and held him until Kuchi returned with Kazi. All the babies wound up back with Kuchi, but it is reassuring to see that Sukari has shown interest in the babies for some time now and was able to comfort Kali and babysit for a minute.

One of the most interesting things that was reported recently was Kali crawling away from mom and latching onto his dad's arm. Taz continues to show a great deal of maturity for his age and was very gentle with him. We are looking forward to the inevitable playfest that will take place amongst the kids as they get older which no doubt will include Taz.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

March 29, 2006
As usual, it is a pleasure to watch our gorilla babies developing here at Zoo Atlanta. The twins are continuing to gain valuable experience and are really starting to explore, crawling off from mom Kuchi (although she always manages to have hold of a hand or foot!). Like human babies, they like to put new objects in their mouths while they’re exploring. They are also very intrigued by Kuchi’s face and will watch her quite closely as she eats or interacts with other gorillas. When another female gorilla sits nearby, you can be sure either Kali or Kazi will reach out to touch her and dad Taz has again been seen touching the twins very gently. 

Macy B. is not far behind her older half brother and sister and has also started reaching out to explore new objects and gorillas. Kudzu will often sit by Kuchi allowing Macy B. and the twins to interact directly, as well as affording both moms the opportunity to have a good look at each other’s babies. Our soon-to-be mom, Sukari, still spends a lot of time following either Kuchi or Kudzu around the exhibit and taking every chance she can get to have contact with one of the babies. All this exposure will hopefully help prepare her for her own baby, which should arrive within the next month.
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager of Conservation Partnerships

March 15, 2006
Kuchi has her hands full! Both twins have at least four teeth each now and are constantly on the move. They are very curious especially at what mom's eating and enjoy socializing with the other female gorillas as well as the keepers. They've been taking juice, baby food, and yogurt from us whenever they get the chance. Kuchi is definitely a "supermom!" As you can see in the picture, Kuchi often has a hard time getting a good grip on both of them. Kudzoo has figured it out and her preferred method of transporting Macy is on her shin. For the past few days, Sukari has been seen carrying a twin on her stomach, which is great experience for her when she gives birth any day now. Dad (Taz) is still doing very well with his family. He was even playing with Kuchi on Friday! Being very cautious not to touch the twins of course. We often see him checking out the babies from time to time, Although, he won't have too much contact with them until they're a bit older.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

March 1, 2006
Similar to the rest of Atlanta, the gorillas have been enjoying the mild weather this week. The warm and sunny conditions have been great for baby watching. Not only can the gorillas be outside more often but the temperatures have enabled us to have them out earlier in the day. Even the gorilla moms and babies have been outside shortly after the zoo opens.

Macy is now 11 weeks old and is very alert and bright eyed for her age. We noticed Kudzoo walking about with Macy gripping to her shin. This reminds me a lot of how Kudzoo's mother Choomba used to carry her around when she was little. It must be fun because Macy never seems to complain. Lucky that Kudzoo has thick hair for Macy to grip on. This allows Kudzoo to strut about and keep up with Taz, since she really likes to be close to him. Kuchi , on the other hand carries 4-month-old Kali and Kazi around by supporting most of their weight with her arm and walking a little awkwardly about the habitat. Kuchi will eventually encourage her babies to ride on her back, which usually occurs within six months to a year of age.

The staff are anxiously awaiting the birth of Willie B's next grandchild to 8-year old Sukari. She has been keeping close tabs on the current infants in the group and should be learning a lot about maternal care through observation. She is expected to deliver in April. This will be her first infant.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

	Kuchi with Kali and Kazi

February 15, 2006
It has been another exciting week at Zoo Atlanta as we all continue to watch Kali, Kazi, and Macy grow. The twins are definitely no longer the passive infants they were four months ago, but are becoming dynamic – and demanding! – members of the group. Sukari and Lulu especially are often seen approaching Kuchi to visit with the twins, who have now started to reach out and grab onto their new playmates. Although Kuchi keeps them tightly against her while outside, inside the twins have recently been seen as far as a foot away from her, precociously exploring their environment. Kali’s two front teeth are now very visible when he chews on things (which is often), and Kazi’s teeth are probably not far behind.

Macy too is growing and developing. Lately Kudzoo has been experimenting with different ways to carry Macy, including on top of her head and between her legs – a very funny sight to see! Both Kudzoo and Kuchi continue to approach Taz in order to show him their babies, which he has tolerated with newly found paternal calmness. He is not completely indifferent, though – he has been seen gently touching the top of both Kazi and Kali’s heads.
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager of Conservation Partnerships

February 2, 2006
All 3 babies are getting larger everyday that I come into work. Kudzoo's baby is still very cute; she's got a good grip when holding onto her mom. This morning she was riding around on Kudzoo's back. The twins were very alert, active and adorable for their naming debut on Friday. We, the keepers, are happy to finally have names to call them. Kali was chosen for the boys name. Kali means 'strong' and Kazi was chosen for the girls name. Kazi means 'treasure'. Their personalities are starting to come out. Kazi is very active and curious where Kali is shy and reserved. Kali is also starting to get some of his baby teeth in.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

January 26, 2006
A couple of days ago, I was able to visit the Willie B. Conservation Center with a couple of friends of mine that work with gorillas at other zoos. During the visit, I could not help but contemplate how fortunate we have been to have so many successful births in such a short time and to have a gorilla mother like Kuchi raising twins. In short, even though I have seen both the twins and Kudzoo's baby for several weeks, I was still excited at the prospect of showing them off to some colleagues of mine. Kuchi was right by the window for a minute or two and one of the babies was clinging as she walked by. I bent over for a closer look and the baby was looking at me. It may seem like a small thing but once you realize they are focusing on you for the first time, you feel a connection. I must say that along with all the other messages we try to get across, we would like people to understand that we are also extremely proud of our gorillas. Tomorrow, along with those beautiful faces and budding personalities we will have the official names for each of them. Stay tuned to this website and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution website (www.ajc.com) to learn what to call these little guys during your next visit to Zoo Atlanta
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

Kudzoo and baby

January 19, 2006
The twins continue to thrive, as does Kudzoo's baby. Group dynamics are still very interesting with the females continuing to engage in greeting rituals with Taz anytime they are separated for a few days because of cold weather. The twins are approaching 3 months of age and starting to show more interest in their physical environment. The female was observed to pick at some leaves the other day and reach for pieces of food that her mother had dropped while eating. 
Dr. Tara Stoinski
Manager, Conservation Partnerships

January 12, 2006
Kuchi and the twins are really thriving in the wonderful outdoor temperatures we have had this week at the zoo. The twins are now 10 weeks old and at the age where hand eye coordination is developing quickly and of course they will reach for anything they can focus on and try to put it in their mouth. One of the ways infant apes learn what solid food is appropriate to eat is by reaching for mom's and also picking up crumbs and peelings to munch on. Gorilla mothers will nurse their babies up to three years; but, it is up to the babies to show an interest in fruit and veggies. As their teeth develop, they eat more and more solid food and nurse less frequently. Gorillas that continue to nurse after three years are often looking for comfort and reassurance and weaning some of the little guys can be kind of difficult if mom has to endure a tantrum.
Charles Horton
Curator of Primates

January 9, 2006
Kudzoo has been spending more and more time with Kuchi and the twins. They spend most of their morning down by the public view at the glass at the Willie B. Conservation Center. In the afternoons we've seen Kudzoo resting high up in the artificial trees. The twins are really starting to become individuals with their own personalities. The female is very curious and is grabbing everything that she can get a hold of including her older sister Lulu. Kuchi definitely has her hands full. As the twins get bigger, we are all curious as to how she's going to be carrying them around.
Jodi Kissinger
Primate Keeper

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