Ndume facts for kids

Ndume (pronounced "En-doo-may") is a male western lowland gorilla. He was born on October 10, 1981. Ndume is special because he learned some signs from American Sign Language (ASL). He also became well-known because of a court case about where he should live.

Ndume spent most of his life at the Gorilla Foundation in Woodside, California. But he also lived at the Cincinnati Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo. After the court case, Ndume moved back to the Cincinnati Zoo on June 14, 2019.

Ndume's Early Life

Ndume was born at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1981. His father was Ramses, and his mother was Rosie. Ramses now lives at the Fort Worth Zoo. Rosie lived to be 43 years old. Ndume also has aunts who lived long lives.

When Ndume was young, he was very playful and liked being with other gorillas. He grew up with three or four other young gorillas. When he was 3, Ron Evans started caring for him. Ron Evans is now in charge of primates at the Cincinnati Zoo.

At age seven, Ndume moved to the Brookfield Zoo. There, he became a father to three baby gorillas: Baraka, Mtu Chuma, and Zuza. When he was 10, Ndume moved to the Gorilla Foundation. He went there to live with another gorilla named Michael. He was also meant to be a partner for Koko.

Life at the Gorilla Foundation

At the Gorilla Foundation, Ndume and Koko did not have any babies together. Penny Patterson, who led the Gorilla Foundation, said that gorillas often need "several females and one male" to form a family. Koko also had not been able to have babies for many years. These things likely played a big part in why they didn't have offspring.

Ndume lived at the Gorilla Foundation for over 27 years. After a long court battle, he moved back to the Cincinnati Zoo. The Gorilla Foundation shared that they were "deeply saddened" to see Ndume leave. They wished him "the very best for his happiness, good health and peace of mind."

Ndume's Return to Cincinnati Zoo

Ndume arrived back at the Cincinnati Zoo on the morning of June 14, 2019. He flew in from the Gorilla Foundation. Ron Evans, the zoo's primate curator, said the move went "perfectly smooth." Ndume was not put to sleep for the trip. He was given food and water along the way.

When he arrived, Ndume got his own special "bedroom suite" or "play land." This area was close to the zoo's other gorilla groups.

The zoo planned to create a new family group with Ndume. They slowly introduced him to other gorillas. Ndume got to choose which female gorillas he liked best. Once he felt comfortable at the zoo, he was put on display for visitors. He has now joined a group with two female gorillas, Chewie and Mara.

Why Ndume Moved: A Court Case

After Koko passed away, the Cincinnati Zoo and the AZA asked the Gorilla Foundation to send Ndume back. They believed gorillas need to live with other gorillas for their well-being.

However, the Gorilla Foundation wanted to keep Ndume. They worried that moving him might be too stressful or even dangerous for him. The Cincinnati Zoo disagreed. They pointed out that many gorillas, even older ones, had been moved safely.

The Cincinnati Zoo also said that Ndume's mental health was at risk. He had not been with other gorillas since Koko died. Ron Evans, the zoo's primate curator, explained that "Having gorillas around other gorillas is a foundation need for gorillas."

The Gorilla Foundation said Ndume was happy with his human caregivers. They also claimed that when Ndume heard about a possible move, he became very upset.

In October 2018, the Cincinnati Zoo took the Gorilla Foundation to court. They said the foundation was not following an agreement from 2015. This agreement stated that after Koko's death, Ndume should go to another zoo chosen by experts.

A group called PETA also supported the Cincinnati Zoo in the lawsuit.

On February 1, 2019, a judge decided that Ndume should move back to the Cincinnati Zoo. The judge said there was no reason to change the agreement. He also asked both sides to work together to make Ndume's move as smooth as possible.

Ndume began training to get used to his travel crate. His transfer was delayed a couple of times. The Gorilla Foundation said there was a minor health concern that needed to be checked. The Cincinnati Zoo believed it was not serious enough to stop the move.

Finally, Ndume was successfully moved back to the Cincinnati Zoo on June 14, 2019. PETA released a statement saying Ndume was now back where he was born. They noted he would receive expert care and have a chance to be with other gorillas. The Cincinnati Zoo introduced Ndume to female gorillas, and they formed a new group.

See also

• List of individual apes