Detroit Zoo Welcomes First-Ever Baby Gorilla, Invites Public to Help Name Her

Everyone loves a baby. They’re cute, they’re curious, and in the case of the Detroit Zoo, it’s a fantastic educational opportunity.

The Detroit Zoo recently celebrated a historic milestone—the birth of its first-ever baby gorilla. Born on August 8, 2024, this baby gorilla has been thriving under the care of her attentive mother, Bandia, and father, Mshindi, along with the Zoo’s dedicated animal care team. After allowing time for mom and baby to bond, the Zoo staff confirmed that the newborn is a female. Now, the Zoo is asking for the public's help in choosing her name.

The Detroit Zoo has launched a special naming contest, where participants can vote for their favorite name from a list of finalists. Each vote requires a minimum donation of $10, and voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on September 9, 2024. The name that receives the highest donation total will be declared the winner, and the Zoo will announce the chosen name on its social media pages.

The funds raised through this naming contest will support Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction), a program focused on the conservation of wild gorillas. Donations will go toward on-the-ground protection, research, monitoring, and education efforts to help preserve gorilla populations in the wild.

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Here are the finalist names you can vote for:
Usala: Inspired by a conservation corridor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; it also means "forest" in the Kikumu language.
Amateka: Meaning "history" in the Kinyarwanda language.
Mbere: Meaning "first" in the Kinyarwanda language.
Lobéké: Named after a national park in Cameroon, home to the highest density of western lowland gorillas.
Motema: Meaning "heart" in the Lingala language.

To cast your vote and support gorilla conservation, visit the Detroit Zoo’s website and make your donation today!