The Detroit Zoo announced Monday that the baby gorilla born at the zoo earlier this month is thriving and is a girl!
According to zoo officials, the baby was the first gorilla born in the zoo's 96-year history and is thriving under the care of her mother, Bandia.
WATCH: See the cute photos and video in the player below
Now, the zoo is hosting a naming contest among five different names. Beginning Monday, Aug. 26 – zoo lovers can cast their vote on the Detroit Zoo website for their favorite name.
The names are:
- 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 be open through onday, Sept. 9, and people can vote as many times as they'd like. Each vote requires a minimum of a $10 donation and the winner will be the name that raises the most money.
The zoo said it will announce a name shortly after the contest concludes. All proceeds will benefit the SAFE gorilla, which protects wild gorilla populations.
“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. “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.”
