Be a Part of Detroit Zoo History!
On Aug. 8, the Detroit Zoo celebrated the birth of a baby gorilla — the first born in our 96-year history. Since then, the baby has been thriving under the attentive care of first-time mom Bandia, father Mshindi and the Zoo’s dedicated animal care team. After giving mom and baby ample time to bond, Zoo staff determined the baby was a female.
Now, she needs a name — and we need your help to choose!
You can vote with your dollars for your favorite name among the finalists below. Voting will remain open through 11:59 p.m. Sept. 9, 2024, and you can vote as many times as you would like. Each vote requires a $10 minimum donation. After voting closes, the name with the highest donation amount will be named the winner! The winning name will be announced on the Detroit Zoo’s social media pages.
Support Gorilla Conservation
All donations raised through the naming contest will support Gorilla SAFE, a program that supports conservation of wild gorillas through on-the-ground protection of gorillas, research and monitoring.
Donate to vote for your favorite name:
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.
