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Detroit Zoo welcomes four new gorillas and the public is invited to attend their welcome party

By Jack Nissen
Published  August 24, 2023 10:57am EDT
Detroit Zoo
FOX 2 Detroit
article

Tulivu, born in May 2, 2004

(FOX 2) - The Detroit Zoo welcomed a troop of gorillas into its Great Apes of Harambee habitat this week.

Mshindi, Tulivu, Bandia, and Nayembi were welcomed into the exhibit recently after the zoo said goodbye to a separate band of gorillas earlier in the year. The swapping of primates was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' species survival plan for gorillas.

Mshindi, Tulivu, and Bandia have lived together at the Cincinnati Zoo since 2019. 

The fourth addition, Nayembi is coming from Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. The goal of bringing the four together is to ensure a sustainable and healthy population that's genetically diverse. 

The public is invited to welcome the new troop Saturday, Sept. 2 and Sunday, Sept. 3. 

Nayembi, born Nov. 16, 2012

"The four new gorillas are already making themselves at home, and they are wonderful additions to the Detroit Zoo," said Tami Brightrall, associate curator of mammals for the zoo. "They each have unique personalities, and we can’t wait for our members and guests to get to know them."

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Mshindi, the only male, is a silverback whose name means "winner" in Swahili. He was born in October 1987.

Mshindi, born Oct. 17, 1987

The females are much younger.

  • Tulivu, meaning "quiet" in Swahili, born May 2, 2004;
  • Bandia, meaning "homemade doll or image" in Swahili, born Sept. 13, 1997;
  • Nayembi, meaning "to sing" in the Lingala language, born Nov. 16, 2012.

The gorillas will live in the zoo's four-acre habitat with 13 chimpanzees. It's gone through a series of improvements in anticipation for the new troop's arrival. 

In June, the zoo announced it was departing with three of its gorillas who were transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo. Half-brothers Chipua "Chip," Pendeka "Pende" and Kongo-Mbeli "Kongo" have called the Great Apes of Harambee habitat at the Detroit Zoo home for two decades.

Bandia, born Sept. 13, 1997