Brookfield Zoo Saying Goodbye To Gorilla Duo

BROOKFIELD, IL – Brookfield Zoo Chicago is preparing to say goodbye to western lowland gorillas Kamba and Nora, two sisters who were born at the zoo and raised in its multigenerational gorilla family.

In a news release, the zoo said guests have a few days left to visit the gorillas before they join a gorilla group at another accredited zoo as part of ongoing conservation efforts for their species.

Kamba, 20, and Nora, 12, have grown up at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, where the zoo said they helped generations of guests connect with gorillas.

Their move is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, which is designed to support the long-term health and genetic diversity of the species.

Western lowland gorillas are listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the zoo said habitat loss, poaching and disease remain major threats to wild populations, according to the news release.

"Guests have watched Kamba and Nora grow before their eyes — from their earliest years to exploring a brand-new habitat just last year — so we know many people feel a special connection to them," Kim Skelton, director of primate care and conservation at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, said in the release. "Kamba is known for her calm, laid-back personality, while Nora is a bold and confident gorilla with plenty of personality. Nora has recently begun testing her position within the group's social hierarchy, so this move comes at an ideal time as she enters the next stage of her social development.”

The zoo said its animal care team has been preparing the sisters for the transition through voluntary training behaviors, including getting comfortable entering specialized transfer crates. Caregivers have also been sharing information about the gorillas’ food preferences, enrichment items and individual traits to help support continuity of care after the move.

Later this summer, Brookfield Zoo Chicago is set to welcome two female gorillas from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Kamina and Zahra.

The zoo said the family group at the James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests will then include silverback Jontu, matriarch Binti Jua, and females Koola and Ali, followed by the new arrivals after a gradual introduction process. Guests will be able to meet Kamina and Zahra after that acclimation period, according to the zoo.