Is Abeo on exhibit / when can we see him?
Abeo is currently off-exhibit while he gets acclimated to his new home. Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on when you can see him in Gorilla Forest.

Who are his parents?
Abeo is the offspring of female gorilla, Akenji (a first-time mom), and male gorilla, Kwame, at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle Washington.

Why was the infant gorilla moved to Louisville?
Abeo was under round-the-clock care by Woodland Park Zoo staff after his mom hadn’t shown interest in caring for him. Woodland Park pivoted to training three of its experienced gorillas to become fosters, but progress did not advance fast enough for the well-being of the baby. Abeo was moved to Louisville to be introduced to our 40-year-old female gorilla, Kweli. Kweli was chosen to be the gorilla’s foster mom due to her experience as both a mother of her own offspring and as a foster for other babies in need. This includes rearing Kindi after the passing of Kindi’s mother, Mia Moja, in 2016.

How will Abeo be raised in Louisville?
As Abeo gets acclimated to his new home and introduced slowly to Kweli, Louisville Zoo staff will continue to hand rear the infant gorilla. The goal is to complete important milestones so that Abeo will be ready to be fostered by Kweli when the time is right.

What is the process for introducing Abeo to Kweli?
An expert professional human foster team has been created that includes gorilla keepers, animal managers and vet technicians. This team provides 24/7 contact and care for Abeo working in 8-hour shifts. With their skilled support and guidance, Abeo will learn to be comfortable in spaces he will eventually share with Kweli and the other gorillas as well as all the new sights, sounds and smells within Gorilla Forest. He will also be trained to accept a bottle from keeper staff through the mesh in his habitat, so he stays well-nourished. Finally, he will get to know Kweli. Introductions will begin through a “howdy door” or a small mesh door in his bedroom space so they can get acquainted each other through safe interactions.

What do gorilla infants eat?
Infant gorillas are fed with formula! Bottle feeding will eventually decrease in frequency and supplemented with solid fruits and veggies — but may still continue up to four years of age.

Are western lowland gorillas endangered?
Only found in the dense forests of west central Africa, gorillas are critically endangered and could face extinction if stronger efforts are not mounted to protect them. The primary threats to their survival are illegal poaching, civil unrest, disease, human expansion and habitat destruction due to extractive industries such as mining.

What can the public do to help protect gorillas in the wild?
The Louisville Zoo is a dedicated Program Partner with Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) programs through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) pulls resources from zoos across north America and focuses them on key in-situ conservation projects. By supporting the Louisville Zoo through donations, memberships and visits you help us to help wild gorillas.

A mineral mined specifically from gorilla habitat in Africa called coltan is used in the manufacturing of the cell phones we use along with other electronic devices. This mining contributes to the decline of wild gorilla populations. The Louisville Zoo was the founding partner with Louisville based Eco-Cell. Eco-Cell is a cell phone recycling company that now works with zoos and other companies worldwide to collect and recycle old cell phones with donations being made to wild gorilla conservation work. You can drop off your old cell phones at the Louisville Zoo for this impactful gorilla conservation project.
Learn more.