ATLANTA — Zoo Atlanta is growing its western lowland gorilla troop in a legendary way.
Officials announced Tuesday that Shalia, a 20-year-old gorilla, is pregnant - and this infant is helping continue a decades-old legacy at the zoo.
The new infant is a relative of Zoo Atlanta's most famous gorilla, Willie B. His son, 22-year-old Willie B., Jr. will become a first-time father in 2023.
Zoo Atlanta's Veterinary and Animal Care Teams first detected the pregnancy in November. Gorilla gestation is around eight and a half months, meaning the new member of Zoo Atlanta's troop could come as soon as early May. This offspring will be Shalia's second offspring, she has previously birthed an infant while under the care of another organization, according to the zoo officials.
Though Shalia won't be a first-time mom, she will be at Zoo Atlanta. Caretakers shared her ultrasound on social media, bursting with excitement about the zoo's new addition.
“We could not be more thrilled to announce that Shalia is expecting. To see Willie B., Jr. become a father is to experience a wonderful new chapter in the story of his father, who came to define Zoo Atlanta in his lifetime and who still lives large in the memories of countless people in our city,” Zoo Atlanta CEO and President Raymond B. King said in a statement. “Importantly, the infant will also be a new member of a critically endangered species that needs our help now more than ever.”
Western lowland gorilla populations have plummeted in the wild in recent years as a result of habitat loss, poaching, illegal hunting for the bushmeat trade, and emerging diseases, Zoo Atlanta said. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), over a 25-year period, these combined threats have reduced wild populations by 60 percent.
Willie B., Jr., whose given name is Kidogo, which is Swahili for “a little,” is the third offspring and only male offspring of the iconic Willie B., who died in 2000. His father moved from a solitary indoor environment to the Ford African Rain Forest in 1988, becoming a symbol of Zoo Atlanta's transformation. Willie B.'s grand infant would become the 25th gorilla born at the zoo.
Stay tuned for the gender reveal.
Zoo Atlanta is home to one of the largest populations of gorillas in North America. Learn more about its conservation program on its website.
