Gorilla Baby, Abeo

The Louisville Zoo has welcomed a 1 ½-month-old infant male western lowland gorilla, Abeo (pronounced: ah-beh-OH) to our award-winning Gorilla Forest habitat. Abeo was born on June 28 at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, WA and the infant is the offspring of Akenji, a first-time mom. When Akenji was unable to bond with her infant and a subsequent surrogacy also didn’t work out, Woodland Park collaborated with the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (a cooperative breeding program managed by the Association of Zos and Aquariums to find him a new home.

The Louisville Zoo’s 40-year-old female gorilla, Kweli, was selected to be the baby’s foster mom due to her success with Kindi — our now 8-year-old, sub-adult female gorilla.  “While we always hope for a natural mother-infant bond, circumstances sometimes require alternative solutions for the well-being of the gorilla,” said Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney. “Our care team’s successful work with Kindi and Kweli stands as a testament to their expertise. I look forward to seeing this young gorilla flourish with his new family.”

Gorilla Forest keepers provided round-the-clock care for the infant, including feeding, socializing, and using behavioral cues, including vocalizations like those of a gorilla mother.

Come see baby Abeo!  He and surrogate mother Kweli are on random rotation with the other gorilla groups.  There are no set times that he will be viewable as we are still easing him into his new expanded world.

Starting October 2o:  Abeo is currently on exhibit rotation while team works on the integration process and rotating groups throughout Gorilla Forest.  Abeo and Kweli continue to bond. 

GORILLA BABY FAQ

How old is the gorilla?
Abeo (ah-beh-OH) was born on June 28, 2024. He is nearly 2 months old.What is the sex of the gorilla?
Abeo is a male gorilla.Why is the gorilla named Abeo?
Keepers from Woodland Park Zoo lovingly named the baby gorilla, Abeo (ah-beh-OH), which means “bringer of happiness” in Yoruba, a language spoken in West Africa.
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.

SUPPORT OUR GORILLAS

Please consider making a gift to support the daily care of Abeo as he joins his foster mom Kweli. Donations of any amount make a direct impact on their around the clock care and essentials they need to thrive

ADOPT A GORILLA

Photo of ADOPTS Package. Shows the adoption certificate, fact sheet, gorilla plush, bracelet and magnet.

In honor of our baby gorilla, for a limited time, you or your loved one can become a symbolic parent of Abeo for only $99.

Every package will be mailed with the following:

  • An adoption certificate
  • An animal fact sheet
  • A Louisville Zoo magnet
  • Plush baby gorilla
  • A Fahlo bracelet (This bracelet tracks a real gorilla in the wild!)
  • 2 general admission passes
  • Adoptive parent recognized on website for 1 year

Limited quantities available.

Adopt Gorilla Baby Abeo!