Detroit Zoo holding naming contest for first baby gorilla born in its 96-year history
(CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Zoo has announced the gender of a baby gorilla born earlier this month and is holding a naming contest to select her name.
The zoo announced the birth of a gorilla a few weeks ago but only just announced that the baby gorilla, the first gorilla born at the zoo in its 96-year history, is a female.
The baby gorilla is thriving under the care of her mother, 26-year-old Bandia, according to zoo officials.
"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."
While the baby girl is doing well, she still needs a name, and people can cast their votes to help zoo officials choose her name.
Voting starts on Monday, Aug. 26, and runs through Monday, Sept. 9. People can vote as many times as they would like, but each vote requires a minimum donation of $10.
The winning name will be determined by which receives the largest donation amount.
Voters can pick their favorite name from the following list:
- 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.
The donation funds will benefit the Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Program, according to zoo officials. The program helps protect wild gorilla populations, conduct research and monitoring and educate stakeholders.
The baby gorilla, along with her mother, Bandia, 36-year-old Mshindi, 20-year-old Tulivu, and 11-year-old Nayembi, are the five gorillas that call the Detroit Zoo their home.