Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications
Editor’s note: Big thanks to gorilla keepers Judy Sievert, Kate Gordon, Stephanie Payne and Tesh Hunter for contributing so much to this update!
The warmer temperatures of spring mean more play time for the youngest members of Kwame’s western lowland gorilla family—two of whom recently celebrated birthdays. Zuna (daughter of Nadiri and Kwame) is now 4 years old, and big brother Kitoko (son of Uzumma and Kwame) just turned 5. These siblings are still enthusiastic playmates but their “growing up gorilla” experiences are shaping their budding personalities in very different ways!
Zuna is a very independent and clever girl! She is everyone’s sweetheart (both among the gorillas and the gorilla keepers), gets along with all members of her family and is quite socially savvy. She is confident enough to spend time by herself and sometimes in the company of her “bestie” (a piece of firehose that she’s been carrying around like a favorite toy since she was an infant) and is equally at ease mixing within the group. Zuna has good manners and is polite with all adults. She shows deference when needed but is not afraid to be present or even join in when there are “disagreements” within the group, which is a normal part of gorilla family life.
Zuna is fast, strong, a good climber, shows real talent as a nest builder (a skill she is learning from her mother Nadiri and aunt Akenji) and is always ready to play when the mood strikes. Overall, Zuna is a very well-rounded young gorilla, and she has a wonderful bond with big sister Yola and their mother Nadiri.
Her older half-brother, Kitoko, recently turned 5 years old. He still has a few more years before he becomes a young blackback who will separate from his mother and birth family. (A blackback is a male who is the same size as an adult female and too old to be considered a juvenile but too young to be referred to as a silverback.) In the wild this usually happens when a male is 8 or 9 years old. At this age they start testing the patience of family members, trying to “push their weight around” while the adults try to keep them in line. Eventually they leave (or are driven out) to form “bachelor groups” with other young adult males. They spend the next few years in these groups learning from each other how to navigate gorilla “society” before eventually maturing into a silverback male who may be able to lead his own group of females and start a family.
Zuna and Kitoko both have a lot more growing to do, and most of the time they’re still very enthusiastic playmates! You might see them wrestling—or perhaps cuddling and resting together in between sessions. Lately Kitoko seems to have “fun” with Zuna by snatching his sister’s firehose toy and running off with it. She usually plays the game and just chases after him, but the keepers tell us she will occasionally get exasperated and scream when he takes off with her favorite toy. This, again with the pushing boundaries, is the exact kind of reaction that seems to egg him on!
Older sibling, Yola—half-sister to Zuna—is already 9.5 years old. (Where did the time go?) That makes her a young adult. She is often the first to have little sister Zuna’s back when Kitoko pesters her; and when Zuna isn’t napping with their mother or cuddled up to her father (Kwame), she will often sleep next to her big sister. The two of them are great playmates.
Yola, Zuna and their mom Nadiri have developed wonderful mother-daughter-sister bonds. The three generally stick together as they move though the exhibit or in the behind-the-scenes bedroom areas where they often rest together. And they can always rely on each other for back-up if there is an altercation involving any one of them with others. Nadiri has always been a subordinate female within the group, but with her daughters by her side, she is able to hold her own. Yola is really growing in her self-confidence as an individual too. She will stand up to dominant female Uzumma these days when the two of them have disagreements, including the ones that result from trying to keep Kitoko in check. The gorilla keepers are watching to see if dynamics in this group might change in the next year or so, because together Nadiri, Yola and Zuna could really become a force to reckon with.
Akenji is very protective of her niece Zuna, but she is not too keen on Kitoko and tends to avoid him. This is, in part, because Kitoko often goes out of his way to annoy her and scolding him for doing that can result in a tangle with Uzumma. No one wants that! You may recall Akenji did not bond with the baby (named Abeo) she gave birth to last year, but the gorilla keepers are so happy that he is thriving in the loving arms of a wonderful foster gorilla mother at Louisville Zoo. Akenji has, however, always had a soft spot for Zuna. She lets Zuna ride on her back and will sometimes play with her.
The gorilla keepers say Akenji and Zuna will often sit next to each other away from the prying eyes of the rest of the group and take a “goodnight peanut” from them at the end of the day. They say it’s sweet to see the two of them stealthily position themselves next to one another—and the fact that Akenji lets her niece take a peanut without trying to take both of them for herself says a lot about their relationship and their quiet understanding of what they’re getting away with (a bonus peanut that the other gorillas don’t get).
As for Kwame, he maintains very positive relationships with all the adult females in his group—and this busy dad still takes time to play with his kids too. Sometimes he has to run interference between his son and daughter when Kitoko’s mischief toward his little sister gets out of hand. It is, after all, a silverback’s job to protect his family and keep the peace within the group.
Kwame still loves his training time with the gorilla keepers, too. These voluntary sessions enable our expert animal care staff to spend one-on-one time with each member of the gorilla family to make sure that everyone is healthy and getting their share of food along with any needed vitamins or medications. Plus, each gorilla is offered their favorite high value treat as part of these sessions.
Kwame has been participating in training for years now and is currently learning to receive nail trims for his fingernails that grow long and sometimes break. The keepers use a nail file and small Dremel to shorten them and he sits very still, patiently presenting fingers when asked in exchange for his favorite treats—grapes.
Kitoko may be a handful, but when it comes to his training sessions, he gets an A+ as a fabulous and eager “student.” Members of the animal care team are working with him on some basic requests, asking him to “present” or show them body parts like his arms, hands and feet, opening his mouth, or showing his chest or belly. All these requests allow our animal care team members to get a good look at this rough-and-tumble boy to keep tabs on his health and wellbeing as he grows up. They say Kitoko is incredibly smart and a quick learner. It usually takes only a few sessions for him to make the connection between what they’re asking and how he should respond. And of course, there are plenty of yummy treats as part of these sessions too! Grapes are a favorite of all gorillas, but other special treats include peanuts or tropical fruit like papaya.
Overall, everything is good for Kwame and his family group. Zuna and Kitoko are not babies anymore, but adulthood is still a few years away—so there’s still lots of time for juvenile shenanigans. The gorilla keepers tell us they expect to see plenty of wrestling matches, jumping and pushing games, chasing, tickling, poking and pranking within the group this year! We hope you’ll continue to enjoy visiting them and watching them grow up.
Next up: an update on Nadaya’s group. Stay tuned ...
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| Yola is a young adult now. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Editor’s note: Big thanks to gorilla keepers Judy Sievert, Kate Gordon, Stephanie Payne and Tesh Hunter for contributing so much to this update!
The warmer temperatures of spring mean more play time for the youngest members of Kwame’s western lowland gorilla family—two of whom recently celebrated birthdays. Zuna (daughter of Nadiri and Kwame) is now 4 years old, and big brother Kitoko (son of Uzumma and Kwame) just turned 5. These siblings are still enthusiastic playmates but their “growing up gorilla” experiences are shaping their budding personalities in very different ways!
Zuna is a very independent and clever girl! She is everyone’s sweetheart (both among the gorillas and the gorilla keepers), gets along with all members of her family and is quite socially savvy. She is confident enough to spend time by herself and sometimes in the company of her “bestie” (a piece of firehose that she’s been carrying around like a favorite toy since she was an infant) and is equally at ease mixing within the group. Zuna has good manners and is polite with all adults. She shows deference when needed but is not afraid to be present or even join in when there are “disagreements” within the group, which is a normal part of gorilla family life.
 |
| Zuna in independent, clever and a good climber! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Zuna is fast, strong, a good climber, shows real talent as a nest builder (a skill she is learning from her mother Nadiri and aunt Akenji) and is always ready to play when the mood strikes. Overall, Zuna is a very well-rounded young gorilla, and she has a wonderful bond with big sister Yola and their mother Nadiri.
Her older half-brother, Kitoko, recently turned 5 years old. He still has a few more years before he becomes a young blackback who will separate from his mother and birth family. (A blackback is a male who is the same size as an adult female and too old to be considered a juvenile but too young to be referred to as a silverback.) In the wild this usually happens when a male is 8 or 9 years old. At this age they start testing the patience of family members, trying to “push their weight around” while the adults try to keep them in line. Eventually they leave (or are driven out) to form “bachelor groups” with other young adult males. They spend the next few years in these groups learning from each other how to navigate gorilla “society” before eventually maturing into a silverback male who may be able to lead his own group of females and start a family.
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| Kitoko is strong, energetic and curious! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Kitoko is technically still a youngster under the protection of his mother, Uzumma (who happens to be the dominant female of the group), and already spends a fair amount of time testing boundaries! Kitoko is strong, fast and has lots of energy! Those are good qualities for a young male, but they can make him a bit of a troublemaker, too, and his regular bouts of mischief are not always welcomed by other members of his family. Kitoko still loves to make a racket and toss toys and other objects off of the platforms in the gorilla habitat. Sometimes the keepers will stack large toys for him (including noisy pots and pans) and the first thing Kitoko will do is run in and knock them down. What fun!
The gorilla keepers tell us Kitoko regularly tests his luck with the adults by ambushing or poking them to see what he can get away with or if he can get a reaction, before one of them offers him a stern “knock it off” kind of correction. A zoo guest recently caught one of these mischief moments between Kitoko and his father, Kwame. As you can see, [Click Link] Kitoko reaches out and pokes Kwame right after he walks past his son and is out of his sightline—then the cheeky youngster quickly tumbles out of reach as if to say, “Who did that? It wasn’t me!” (In all fairness, Kwame did step on Kitoko before the prank but still he was not impressed.) For the most part the adults tend to steer clear of Kitoko, not wanting to get caught up in his mischief or get on the bad side of his mom Uzumma when she backs him up.
Kitoko is still quite dependent on Uzumma and only gets away with his antics because of his mom’s rank in the hierarchy. As a result of being able to do whatever he wants, he doesn't have much respect (yet) for the subtleties of gorilla behavior that little sister Zuna has. Zuna can be around any of the adults and knows when to give space or approach another gorilla without a dominant mom for protection. Zuna has earned her close relationship to the other gorillas through thoughtful and patient observation and interactions, while Kitoko is more “experimental” with his approach, knowing that Uzumma isn’t far behind.
The gorilla keepers tell us Kitoko regularly tests his luck with the adults by ambushing or poking them to see what he can get away with or if he can get a reaction, before one of them offers him a stern “knock it off” kind of correction. A zoo guest recently caught one of these mischief moments between Kitoko and his father, Kwame. As you can see, [Click Link] Kitoko reaches out and pokes Kwame right after he walks past his son and is out of his sightline—then the cheeky youngster quickly tumbles out of reach as if to say, “Who did that? It wasn’t me!” (In all fairness, Kwame did step on Kitoko before the prank but still he was not impressed.) For the most part the adults tend to steer clear of Kitoko, not wanting to get caught up in his mischief or get on the bad side of his mom Uzumma when she backs him up.
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| The wrestling matches between Zuna and Kitoko are still epic as ever! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Kitoko is still quite dependent on Uzumma and only gets away with his antics because of his mom’s rank in the hierarchy. As a result of being able to do whatever he wants, he doesn't have much respect (yet) for the subtleties of gorilla behavior that little sister Zuna has. Zuna can be around any of the adults and knows when to give space or approach another gorilla without a dominant mom for protection. Zuna has earned her close relationship to the other gorillas through thoughtful and patient observation and interactions, while Kitoko is more “experimental” with his approach, knowing that Uzumma isn’t far behind.
Need a break? Join Kwame's family for some cozy nap time, courtesy of the Keeper Cam
Zuna and Kitoko both have a lot more growing to do, and most of the time they’re still very enthusiastic playmates! You might see them wrestling—or perhaps cuddling and resting together in between sessions. Lately Kitoko seems to have “fun” with Zuna by snatching his sister’s firehose toy and running off with it. She usually plays the game and just chases after him, but the keepers tell us she will occasionally get exasperated and scream when he takes off with her favorite toy. This, again with the pushing boundaries, is the exact kind of reaction that seems to egg him on!
Older sibling, Yola—half-sister to Zuna—is already 9.5 years old. (Where did the time go?) That makes her a young adult. She is often the first to have little sister Zuna’s back when Kitoko pesters her; and when Zuna isn’t napping with their mother or cuddled up to her father (Kwame), she will often sleep next to her big sister. The two of them are great playmates.
 |
| Sisters: Zuna and Yola love to spend time together. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Yola, Zuna and their mom Nadiri have developed wonderful mother-daughter-sister bonds. The three generally stick together as they move though the exhibit or in the behind-the-scenes bedroom areas where they often rest together. And they can always rely on each other for back-up if there is an altercation involving any one of them with others. Nadiri has always been a subordinate female within the group, but with her daughters by her side, she is able to hold her own. Yola is really growing in her self-confidence as an individual too. She will stand up to dominant female Uzumma these days when the two of them have disagreements, including the ones that result from trying to keep Kitoko in check. The gorilla keepers are watching to see if dynamics in this group might change in the next year or so, because together Nadiri, Yola and Zuna could really become a force to reckon with.
 |
| Nadiri has a close relationship with daughters Yola and Zuna. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Akenji is very protective of her niece Zuna, but she is not too keen on Kitoko and tends to avoid him. This is, in part, because Kitoko often goes out of his way to annoy her and scolding him for doing that can result in a tangle with Uzumma. No one wants that! You may recall Akenji did not bond with the baby (named Abeo) she gave birth to last year, but the gorilla keepers are so happy that he is thriving in the loving arms of a wonderful foster gorilla mother at Louisville Zoo. Akenji has, however, always had a soft spot for Zuna. She lets Zuna ride on her back and will sometimes play with her.
 |
| Zuna is getting so big! This 4 year-old—who weighed less than 5 pounds at birth—weighs in at nearly 70 pounds now! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
The gorilla keepers say Akenji and Zuna will often sit next to each other away from the prying eyes of the rest of the group and take a “goodnight peanut” from them at the end of the day. They say it’s sweet to see the two of them stealthily position themselves next to one another—and the fact that Akenji lets her niece take a peanut without trying to take both of them for herself says a lot about their relationship and their quiet understanding of what they’re getting away with (a bonus peanut that the other gorillas don’t get).
As for Kwame, he maintains very positive relationships with all the adult females in his group—and this busy dad still takes time to play with his kids too. Sometimes he has to run interference between his son and daughter when Kitoko’s mischief toward his little sister gets out of hand. It is, after all, a silverback’s job to protect his family and keep the peace within the group.
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| Zuna likes to nap cuddled up to dad, Kwame. He seems to enjoy this father-daughter time, too. Photo: Screenshot from Keeper Cam/Woodland Park Zoo |
Kwame still loves his training time with the gorilla keepers, too. These voluntary sessions enable our expert animal care staff to spend one-on-one time with each member of the gorilla family to make sure that everyone is healthy and getting their share of food along with any needed vitamins or medications. Plus, each gorilla is offered their favorite high value treat as part of these sessions.
Kwame has been participating in training for years now and is currently learning to receive nail trims for his fingernails that grow long and sometimes break. The keepers use a nail file and small Dremel to shorten them and he sits very still, patiently presenting fingers when asked in exchange for his favorite treats—grapes.
 |
| Kwame's family group is doing really well! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Kitoko may be a handful, but when it comes to his training sessions, he gets an A+ as a fabulous and eager “student.” Members of the animal care team are working with him on some basic requests, asking him to “present” or show them body parts like his arms, hands and feet, opening his mouth, or showing his chest or belly. All these requests allow our animal care team members to get a good look at this rough-and-tumble boy to keep tabs on his health and wellbeing as he grows up. They say Kitoko is incredibly smart and a quick learner. It usually takes only a few sessions for him to make the connection between what they’re asking and how he should respond. And of course, there are plenty of yummy treats as part of these sessions too! Grapes are a favorite of all gorillas, but other special treats include peanuts or tropical fruit like papaya.
Overall, everything is good for Kwame and his family group. Zuna and Kitoko are not babies anymore, but adulthood is still a few years away—so there’s still lots of time for juvenile shenanigans. The gorilla keepers tell us they expect to see plenty of wrestling matches, jumping and pushing games, chasing, tickling, poking and pranking within the group this year! We hope you’ll continue to enjoy visiting them and watching them grow up.
Next up: an update on Nadaya’s group. Stay tuned ...
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