Ndume facts for kids

Ndume (pronounced "En-doo-may") is a male western lowland gorilla. He was born on October 10, 1981. Ndume is famous for learning some signs from American Sign Language (ASL). He was also part of a legal case about where he should live. This case was between the Cincinnati Zoo and the Gorilla Foundation.

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

Ndume's Early Life

Ndume was born at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1981. His father was named Ramses and his mother was Rosie. Ramses now lives at the Fort Worth Zoo. Rosie lived to be 43 years old. Ndume also had two aunts, Samantha and Gigi, who lived to be very old.

As a young gorilla, Ndume loved to play and was very friendly. He grew up with three or four other young gorillas. When Ndume was 3, a 17-year-old named Ron Evans started caring for him. Ron Evans is now the Curator of Primates at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Moving to Brookfield Zoo

Ndume moved to the Brookfield Zoo when he was seven years old. While there, he became a father to three baby gorillas: Baraka, Mtu Chuma, and Zuza. When Ndume was 10, he moved to the Gorilla Foundation. He went there to live with another gorilla named Michael. The hope was that he would also become a mate for Koko.

Ndume's Later Life

Life at the Gorilla Foundation

At the Gorilla Foundation, Ndume and Koko did not have any babies together. Penny Patterson, who leads The Gorilla Foundation, explained why. She said that gorillas usually need "several females and one male" to form a family.

There were other reasons too. When Ndume first arrived, he met a much bigger and stronger female gorilla. Also, Koko had not been able to have babies for at least 19 years before she passed away. These things likely played a big part in why they didn't mate. Ndume lived at the Gorilla Foundation for more than 27 years. He then moved back to the Cincinnati Zoo after a long court case. The Gorilla Foundation shared that they were "deeply saddened" to see him go. 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 had been flown in from the Gorilla Foundation. The move went "perfectly smooth," according to Ron Evans from the Cincinnati Zoo. Ndume was not given medicine to make him sleep during 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 two other gorilla groups. The zoo created a third family group just for Ndume. The zoo slowly introduced Ndume to other gorillas. He was able to choose which female gorillas he liked best. Once Ndume got used to his new home, he was put on display for zoo visitors. He has now joined a group with two female gorillas named Chewie and Mara.

The Lawsuit Over Ndume

After Koko passed away, the Cincinnati Zoo and the AZA asked the Gorilla Foundation to send Ndume back. However, the Gorilla Foundation and Penny Patterson were worried. They said moving Ndume might harm him. They thought it could even "kill Ndume" during the move or soon after.

The Cincinnati Zoo disagreed. They said that since 2007, over 150 gorillas had been moved without problems. They also pointed out that gorillas as old as 45 had been moved safely. These older gorillas often lived to be over 50.

The Cincinnati Zoo also worried about Ndume's mental health. They said he had not been with other gorillas since Koko died. Ron Evans, the Curator of Primates, explained that "Having gorillas around other gorillas is a foundation need for gorillas." The Gorilla Foundation said Ndume was fine because he was with "human great apes" who supported him. They also claimed that when Ndume heard about the possible move, he reacted by "crying, screaming, banging and shoving objects for 14 hours."

Court Case Begins

On October 25, 2018, the Cincinnati Zoo filed a lawsuit against the Gorilla Foundation. They said the foundation did not follow an agreement made in 2015. This agreement stated that after Koko died, Ndume would go to an AZA zoo chosen by experts.

During the case, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) supported the Cincinnati Zoo. On February 1, 2019, Judge Richard Seeborg decided that Ndume would move back to the Cincinnati Zoo. The judge wrote that there was "no legal basis" to change the agreement. He also said both sides should work together to make Ndume's move as good as possible.

It was announced that Ndume would be sent back to the Cincinnati Zoo on May 13. Before the move, Ndume started training to get used to a special crate.

Delays and Final Transfer

Ndume's transfer was planned for May 13, then June 4, but both dates were delayed. On June 4, the Cincinnati Zoo asked Judge Richard Seeborg to set the transfer date for June 12. The Gorilla Foundation said they would not allow the move on June 4. This was because a doctor found a small amount of a germ called Balantidium coli (B. coli) in Ndume's waste.

An attorney for the Gorilla Foundation suggested Ndume was very stressed. They said he was stressed after "hearing the transfer crate being closed." They worried moving him "could prove fatal." However, the Cincinnati Zoo disagreed. They said the small amount of the germ was not a health risk. They felt it should not stop his transfer.

Ndume was successfully moved back to the Cincinnati Zoo on June 14. He was flown into Cincinnati. After Ndume arrived, PETA said in a statement that he was "back where he was born." They added that he was in a place with "expert care" and 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