ROYAL OAK, Mich. (Aug. 26, 2024) — The Detroit Zoo announced today that the baby gorilla born on Aug. 8, 2024 – the first in the Zoo’s 96-year-history – is a female and continuing to thrive under the care of her mother, Bandia.

Now, the next step is giving this baby girl a name – and the public has the opportunity to do just that!

Beginning Monday, Aug. 26, Zoo lovers can cast their vote by choosing their favorite name amongst the following finalists:

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.

Voting will remain open through Monday, Sept. 9. Members of the public may vote as many times as they would like; each vote requires a minimum $10 donation, and the winner will be determined by the name that receives the highest donation amount. The Zoo will announce the winning name shortly after the contest concludes. Proceeds from all donations in this naming contest will benefit the SAFE gorilla (Saving Animals From Extinction) Program. The SAFE program utilizes the collective efforts from zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to protect wild gorilla populations through on-the-ground protection of gorillas, research and monitoring, and targeted stakeholder engagement and education.

“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.”

Western lowland gorillas area critically endangered in the wild, and because conservation is at the core of everything the DZS does, the nonprofit continues to support a number of conservation partnerships and programs that keep gorillas from going extinct.

The female baby gorilla, along with her mother, Bandia; father, 36-year-old Mshindi; 20-year-old Tulivu and 11-year-old Nayembi – is the fifth gorilla to call the Zoo home at the spacious 4-acre Great Apes of Harambee habitat. The DZS will continue to share updates on the entire gorilla troop on its social media channels over the coming weeks and months.