Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomes two new female gorillas

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

As the inaugural World Gorilla Day on September 24 approaches, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is pleased to announce the arrival of two new female gorillas to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo who will be visible to the public in the coming weeks. "Fredrika" (or Freddy) is a 43-year-old female received from Zoo Miami in Miami, Florida and "Kebi Moya" (or Kebi) is a 26-year-old female who comes to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Ohio. Both females join the Zoo's long-term resident "Mokolo," a 30-year-old male silverback gorilla.

The two incoming female gorillas were selected to create this troop based on an examination of their social experience and behavioral characteristics. The intentional social structure of multiple females and a single adult male mirrors gorilla social groups in the wild.  The gorillas are in the final stages of a structured introduction process to ensure the success of the new social group. Fredrika and Kebi Moya were first introduced to each other and cultivated a bond over several weeks before being introduced to Mokolo. The group continues to successfully bond as they establish their social structure and will soon be visible in their habitat for public to meet.