Western Lowland Gorilla Posts
January 28, 2022
Ozoum (Ozzie)
Ozzie, whose given name was Ozoum, was the last surviving member of the founding group of gorillas who made up...
Read More
January 25, 2022
Ozzie, world’s oldest male gorilla, has died
The Zoo Atlanta family is heartbroken to announce the passing of Ozzie, the world’s oldest male gorilla, at 61. The...
Read More
December 7, 2021
Willie B., Jr. and the formation of his troop
Hey there, it’s Cassie from the Gorilla Care Team with an update on Willie B., Jr.’s group! Can you believe...
Read More
September 10, 2021
Update on Zoo Atlanta gorilla population
Zoo Atlanta has received presumptive positive test results indicating that members of its western lowland gorilla troops are positive for...
Read More
August 26, 2021
Gorilla Training Session
Watch a training session in action at the Willie B. Gorilla Conservation Center. Learn what training entails, why we do...
Read More
July 26, 2021
Gorilla Cam debuts with birthday celebration
The youngest western lowland gorilla at Zoo Atlanta, Floyd, turned 2 on Saturday, July 24, 2021. His father, troop leader...
Read More
July 22, 2021
Zoo Atlanta Announces Launch of Gorilla Cam
Zoo Atlanta introduces wildlife watchers around the world to a unique opportunity to observe the natural behaviors and daily movements...
Read More
July 21, 2021
Gorillas and humans: What do we have in common?
Hi Zoo Atlanta fans! It’s Ella here from the Primate Team, and I’d like to tell you guys a little...
Read More
June 20, 2021
Happy 60th birthday, Ozzie!
Father’s Day brings a major milestone for one of the most treasured members of the Zoo Atlanta population. At 60,...
Read More
May 25, 2021
Browse away!
Hi everyone, it’s Sara Fee in Gorillas again! I started at Zoo Atlanta about two years ago, which is also...
Read More
May 25, 2021
Try “Charlie’s Choice” at Brew at the Zoo
Time is running out for reservations for the first Brew at the Zoo of 2021, kicking off on Thursday, May...
Read More
April 7, 2021
Update on Machi the gorilla!
Zoo Atlanta recently welcomed back one of our gorilla legends, Machi. We have received such great support from the community...
Read More
April 2, 2021
Welcome Machi the gorilla back to Atlanta!
Zoo Atlanta welcomes Machi, a 45-year-old female western lowland gorilla, back to her hometown. Machi arrived in Atlanta on March...
Read More
March 9, 2021
Caring for gorillas in their golden years
At Zoo Atlanta, we have gorillas of all ages, from 1-year-old Floyd to Ozzie, who’s turning 60 this year. As...
Read More
March 8, 2021
Zoo Seekers
Spark your curiosity and discover the surprising ways humans and animals are connected to the world around us in this...
Read More
January 19, 2021
Getting to know Kambera, Shalia and Amari
Hello there! My name is Cassie, and I am the newest member of the Gorilla Care Team here at Zoo...
Read More
December 10, 2020
Welcome Amari, Kambera and Shalia!
While he doesn’t know it yet, the only son of Zoo Atlanta’s most famous gorilla is about to embark on...
Read More
November 24, 2020
A holiday for an animal care professional
Hello everyone, Courtney here from the Gorilla Care Team wishing you and all your loved ones a safe and happy...
Read More
October 5, 2020
Ivan – Wild Within
Students will have the opportunity to see photos and video and hear recorded stories about Ivan’s upbringing and time at Zoo Atlanta. ...
Read More
September 16, 2020
Great Ape Heart Project wins Research Award
The Great Ape Heart Project based at Zoo Atlanta has received the prestigious 2020 Research Award with Top Honors from...
Read More
September 1, 2020
Distance training in the time of COVID
Hi everyone, it’s Sarafee with another edition of Zoo Atlanta’s Keeper Stories! I’m a Senior Keeper on the Gorilla Care...
Read More
August 20, 2020
ZOO ATLANTA LAUNCHES VIRTUAL ART GONE WILD
Zoo Atlanta has partnered with Sips n Strokes to offer an interactive experience that people of all ages and all...
Read More
August 11, 2020
Guess who’s who?
Hello everyone, my name is Sam and I am the newest member of the Primate Team here at Zoo Atlanta....
Read More
July 24, 2020
GORILLA AT THE ZOO ENJOYS FIRST BIRTHDAY
Floyd the western lowland gorilla turned 1 on July 24, 2020. The Gorilla Care Team at Zoo Atlanta celebrated early...
Read More
July 7, 2020
What big teeth you have!
Hello everyone, it’s Gorilla Care Team member Allie again, and I hope you are all staying safe and healthy. Today,...
Read More
June 23, 2020
Foraging enrichment
Hello! It’s Courtney from the Primate Team! I would first like to say how nice it is to see guests...
Read More
June 22, 2020
A new chapter for three bachelor gorillas
Three bachelor western lowland gorillas from Zoo Atlanta will soon leave Atlanta for a new home at a new zoo....
Read More
April 28, 2020
Behind the scenes with the gorillas
COVID-19 has forced all of us to make many lifestyle changes. It has even affected the way we at the...
Read More
February 4, 2020
The science of feeding
Hi everyone. Kaya here from the Primate Team. One of my favorite things to do when I’m at work is...
Read More
January 14, 2020
What it means to be an accredited zoo
Hello everyone! It’s Allie here, and I’m a member of the Primate Team here at Zoo Atlanta. I’d like to...
Read More
December 17, 2019
A dynamic, passionate and hardworking team
Hey everyone, my name is Sara Fee and I’m a Senior Keeper working with the gorillas in the Primate Department....
Read More
November 14, 2019
Great Ape Heart Project awarded fourth IMLS grant
Grant is largest show of federal support to date for the effort to target cardiac health in gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees...
Read More
November 5, 2019
The wild world of enrichment
Hello everyone, it’s Courtney from the Primate Team! I cannot believe it is already November. So much has happened this...
Read More
October 22, 2019
Taking time to observe gorillas
Hello, it’s Allie, a member of the Primate Care Team. Have you ever noticed the way our 3-year-old gorilla, Mijadala,...
Read More
September 24, 2019
Introducing Floyd!
World Gorilla Day was also naming day for the youngest member of the western lowland gorilla population at Zoo Atlanta....
Read More
September 24, 2019
Ozzie and the “Golden Girls”
If you are regular guests of Zoo Atlanta, you are probably familiar with our geriatric gorillas, Ozzie and Choomba, who...
Read More
September 19, 2019
World Gorilla Day
September 24 will also be the naming day for the youngest member of the Zoo’s gorilla population. Zoo Atlanta joins...
Read More
September 11, 2019
Help name the infant gorilla
Submit names online and support gorilla conservation ahead of naming day on World Gorilla Day. World Gorilla Day will bring...
Read More
August 20, 2019
Exploring bachelor gorillas’ social behaviors
Many of you have had the opportunity to observe our gorilla bachelor group of Mbeli, Kal and Gunther grow up...
Read More
August 6, 2019
The adaptations that make gorillas special
Hello Zoo people! My name is Allie, and I am a member of the Gorilla Care Team here at Zoo...
Read More
July 25, 2019
WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA BORN AT ZOO ATLANTA
Lulu, a 19-year-old western lowland gorilla, gave birth to an infant on July 24, 2019. The newborn is Lulu’s second...
Read More
June 25, 2019
Jasiri’s new chapter
This year has been an eventful one for the gorillas and their care team. In fact, for the past several...
Read More
June 24, 2019
Jasiri the gorilla begins a new chapter
Jasiri, a 21-year-old male western lowland gorilla born at Zoo Atlanta, is ready to begin an exciting new chapter in...
Read More
April 30, 2019
Creature Classification (grade 5th)
5th grade
Explore the five vertebrate classes to understand how scientists classify living things.
Read More
Explore the five vertebrate classes to understand how scientists classify living things.
April 18, 2019
Gorilla Egg Hunts and More
Animal enrichment is egg-sighting on Saturday, April 20. Enrichment is a year-round aspect of animal care at Zoo Atlanta, but...
Read More
April 16, 2019
Seeing a gorilla ultrasound
Hello everyone! My name is Martie, and I am a seasonal keeper on the Primate Care Team. During my time...
Read More
March 14, 2019
Lulu the western lowland gorilla is expecting
Summer delivery will mark the 24th gorilla birth in the Zoo’s Ford African Rain Forest. Lulu, a 19-year-old western lowland...
Read More
February 26, 2019
2018 was a banner year for research
Zoo Atlanta had yet another banner year in producing major research publications in 2018! Zoo Atlanta and colleagues have now...
Read More
February 19, 2019
My road to a career with animals
Happy Tuesday! My name is Kaya, Primate Keeper II here at Zoo Atlanta. I can primarily be found working with...
Read More
February 14, 2019
Animal Highlight: Gorillas
Zoo Atlanta proudly cares for one of the largest populations of western lowland gorillas in the United States. The gorillas...
Read More
January 17, 2019
Working together to save gorillas
Well hello there! My name is Allie, and I am currently a Primate Seasonal Keeper here at Zoo Atlanta. Today,...
Read More
November 21, 2018
Have you heard about coltan?
Are you asking Santa for a new cell phone this year? It is time for an upgrade after all. You...
Read More
November 20, 2018
Gorillas get their flu shots, too
Hello everyone, my name is Courtney Meyer, and I am a member of the gorilla care team here at Zoo...
Read More
October 17, 2018
Help save gorillas by recycling cell phones
Hello! I’m Allie, a Seasonal Primate Keeper. I have the pleasure of telling you guys about our beloved western lowland...
Read More
September 21, 2018
Zoo Atlanta joins global celebration of gorillas
Second-annual World Gorilla Day unites people around the world in highlighting conservation action. Zoo Atlanta observes World Gorilla Day on...
Read More
May 29, 2018
Growing up with Mijadala
Can’t get enough of baby gorilla Mijadala? Neither can we! As she is nearing her second birthday (September 18), we...
Read More
May 13, 2018
The Ford African Rain Forest turns 30
The 1988 opening of The Ford African Rain Forest was a landmark event for Zoo Atlanta and for the city...
Read More
May 8, 2018
Gorillas on the move
Mbeli, Kali and Gunther will soon start a new chapter at a new zoo Three bachelor western lowland gorillas from...
Read More
April 24, 2018
Celebrating The Ford African Rain Forest
One of the Southeast’s most anticipated black-tie galas celebrates one of North America’s largest populations of western lowland gorillas at...
Read More
April 10, 2018
Warming up for spring
Although it has not felt it so far, we have hit springtime here in Atlanta. With spring supposedly comes warmer...
Read More
March 30, 2018
Spring Break must-dos at the Zoo
Week kicks off with Gorilla Egg Hunts and More on March 31. Spring Break Week kicks off with a favorite...
Read More
March 28, 2018
Studying gorillas in the Zoo and the wild
Unknown to most of our visitors, Zoo Atlanta has an active primate behavior and cognition research program, with scientists studying...
Read More
March 20, 2018
Milestones with Mijadala
Hey everyone, my name is Sarah and I’m a member of the gorilla care team. If you’ve visited us recently,...
Read More
March 7, 2018
Pioneering research in gorilla behavior
We have a guest blogger for this posting! Our intrepid Primate Cognition Intern, Liam Kelly, has prepared a summary focusing...
Read More
March 6, 2018
The specialized care of bachelor gorillas
You may or may not know that Zoo Atlanta is home to one of the largest western lowland gorilla populations...
Read More
February 13, 2018
Tool use in gorillas
Hello, everyone! I’m Courtney, a gorilla caregiver, here to tell you about some of the tool-use skills our gorillas have...
Read More
January 25, 2018
A year in review
Wrapping up the research year around Zoo Atlanta, I’d like to thank the readers out there who have been reading...
Read More
January 9, 2018
The many faces of our primate area
Hello! Brittney, Seasonal Keeper from Primates here. Last time you heard from me I was talking about the difference between...
Read More
November 21, 2017
Giving thanks for our amazing Zoo team
Hey there, everyone! I’m Shay, one of the gorilla care staff here at Zoo Atlanta back for another Keeper Story....
Read More
October 27, 2017
Remembering Shamba
The Zoo Atlanta family is saddened to announce the passing of Shamba, a 58-year-old female western lowland gorilla. Shamba, the...
Read More
September 26, 2017
Caring for primates in inclement weather
While we prep for inclement weather at our homes, we also do so at the Zoo. As animal care professionals,...
Read More
September 20, 2017
Celebrate the first-ever World Gorilla Day
Zoo Atlanta joins the global conservation community in celebrating the first-ever World Gorilla Day on Sunday, September 24, 2017. World...
Read More
September 12, 2017
Mija is turning 1!
Hello again everyone! I wanted to let you all know that we have a special birthday coming up in the...
Read More
August 22, 2017
The Gorilla Species Survival Plan
Hey there, everyone! My name is Shay and I’m one of the new keepers in our Primate Department, specifically in...
Read More
July 18, 2017
Gorilla Enrichment
Here are the Zoo, everything we keepers do is for the animals. We try to make decisions based on their...
Read More
June 20, 2017
Gorilla Dads
Hey everyone! My name is Sarah, and I am a gorilla keeper here at Zoo Atlanta. When you think of...
Read More
June 6, 2017
Beating the heat with the primates
It’s summertime, y’all! Or as I like to call it, only slightly hotter than the rest of the year, because...
Read More
May 16, 2017
Keeper Stories – Tuesday, May 16
Now that we are well on our way to summer, guess what time it is? That’s right, it’s browse time!...
Read More
April 26, 2017
Primate Communication
The human voice clearly is a remarkable phenomenon. The anatomy of our throat and the cognitive abilities of our brain...
Read More
April 18, 2017
Keeper Stories – Tuesday, April 18
Hey everyone! My name is Bailey Cheney, and I’m one of the newest people on the primate staff right now....
Read More
February 28, 2017
Keeper Stories – Tuesday, February 28
I think one of my very favorite things about working with animals is the ability to work with individuals throughout...
Read More
February 7, 2017
Meet Mijadala
Proceeds raised from her naming will benefit field conservation programs for wild gorillas The infant born to western lowland gorilla...
Read More
January 31, 2017
Vote to name Zoo Atlanta’s baby gorilla
Vote to name Zoo Atlanta’s baby gorilla, and case a vote for a change for her species Naming will benefit...
Read More
January 20, 2017
Veterinary Research
The expertise of the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team benefits colleagues around the world.
Read More
January 13, 2017
Willie B., Jr. (Kidogo)
Willie B., Jr. is the only male offspring of his famous late father, and he’s an exact likeness of Willie...
Read More
January 3, 2017
Keeper Stories – Tuesday, January 3
Move over Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence, there are some new celebs on the block! Okay, so our great apes...
Read More
December 29, 2016
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
Zoo Atlanta provides pro-bono space, resources and other support for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, our longtime partner in...
Read More
December 29, 2016
Primate Research
Zoo Atlanta has a diverse population of primates, with multiple species from every major primate group (i.e. lemurs, monkeys and...
Read More
December 27, 2016
Keeper Stories – Tuesday, December 27
Hello, everyone! The holidays came and went so quickly, didn’t they? We here at Zoo Atlanta love to take in...
Read More
December 15, 2016
Keeper Stories – Thursday, December 15
Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays, readers! It’s been a great year here at Zoo Atlanta, especially in the Primate Department....
Read More
December 8, 2016
Gorilla Feeding (Habitat 1)
Watch a keeper give the gorillas their afternoon fruit, and learn more about their care – a perfect chance to...
Read More
December 8, 2016
Gorilla Feeding (Habitat 3)
Watch the gorillas get their afternoon fruit – a perfect chance to see the troop on the move.
Read More
December 8, 2016
Gorilla Keeper Talk and Feeding (Habitat 1)
Watch a keeper give the gorillas their afternoon fruit, and learn more about their care – a perfect chance to...
Read More
August 2, 2016
Tuesday, August 2
Guess what, everyone … it’s my birthday today! I’m looking forward to celebrating the day with lots of tasty food...
Read More
June 14, 2016
Tuesday, June 14
Well, it’s summertime again, and we all know what that means in the South: It’s getting warm! We all try...
Read More
January 12, 2016
Tuesday, January 12
Well, so many great subjects have been talked about lately, where does one begin? Well, to go along with...
Read More
Connect With Your Wild Side #onlyzooatl