ATLANTA — Zoo Atlanta says it is hosting a contest to name the youngest member of their gorilla population.
The western lowland gorilla infant was born to Lulu on July 24 and will be named on Sept. 24 - World Gorilla Day. In honor of the infant's 2-month birthday, the world is being invited to help select his name.
Beginning Sept. 10 and continuing through 11 p.m. on Sept. 20, members of the public are being encouraged to visit the zoo's website -- where name submissions may be submitted online with a donation of $5 per submission.
All donations will benefit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, which is Zoo Atlanta's long-time partner in gorilla conservation.
After Sept. 20, three names will be chosen at random to be featured in the infant's family habitat in the Zoo's Ford African Rain Forest on World Gorilla Day. At 2 p.m., on September 24, the gorillas will help determine the winning name with their first choice of one of three special enrichment items.
Lulu's infant is the 24th gorilla born at Zoo Atlanta. The infant is a grandson of the late Willie B. and a great-grandson of Ozzie, the world's oldest living male gorilla at the age of 58.
Zoo Atlanta and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International have been partners in gorilla conservation for more than 20 years. The Zoo supports the organization by providing headquarters space, information technology support and financial support, allowing the Fossey Fund to focus its efforts on gorillas and human communities in Africa.
Over the years, the Zoo has also provided the Fossey Fund with board leadership and program support, as well as shared scientific team members.
Zoo Atlanta is the headquarters of the Great Ape Heart Project, the world’s first effort to understand, diagnose, and treat cardiac disease across all four great ape taxa: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos.
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