Detroit Zoo holding contest to name baby gorilla after discovering it's a girl
Bandia and her new baby (Photo: Detroit Zoo)
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Detroit Zoo gorilla Bandia finally let staff close enough to see the sex of her baby, the zoo's first baby gorilla in its 96-year history.
It's a girl! And you can help name her.
For a $10 donation, the public can vote on a name from now until Sept. 9. You can cast multiple votes, but each vote requires a minimum $10 donation.
Baby gorilla names:
- Usala – This name comes from the conservation corridor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also means "forest" in Kikumu language.
- Amateka — This name means "history" in Kinyarwanda language.
- Mbere — This name means "first" in Kinyarwanda language.
- Lobéké — This name comes from the national park in Cameroon, which is home to the highest density of western lowland gorillas in the world.
- Motema — This name means "heart" in Lingala language.
Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild. The zoo said that all donations from the naming contest will benefit the SAFE gorilla (Saving Animals From Extinction) Program. The SAFE program utilizes the collective efforts from zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to protect wild gorilla populations through on-the-ground protection of gorillas, research and monitoring, and targeted stakeholder engagement and education.
The gorilla was born on Aug. 8 to 26-year-old Bandia and 36-year-old Mshindi.
"This has been an incredibly fun and exciting time for our entire animal care team," said Mike Murray, vice president of life sciences for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). "Bandia is doing an amazing job as a first-time mom; the love, care and dedication she has for her baby is just remarkable to see. We’re continuing to closely monitor her and the baby, and so far, everything has gone according to plan. We’re really looking forward to having this baby grow up and thrive here at the Zoo."
Vote for your favorite name here.