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Cincinnati Zoo fights to get a silverback gorilla back

2,845 views · Published 31 October 2018 · 3:02 · Indexed 6 October 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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CINCINNATI (WKRC) - The Cincinnati Zoo is wrapped up in a federal lawsuit over a silverback gorilla. 

Ndume was on loan to a California sanctuary with the condition that he'd be returned, but now the Gorilla Foundation is refusing to give him back.

Video of Ndume's 37th birthday party was posted to the Gorilla Foundation's Facebook page less than a week ago. It shows staff dressing up for a cowboy-themed party. His present was two stuffed animals labeled as his new pals. Those stuffed animals and his human caretakers are right now his only friends. He is the only gorilla at the sanctuary.

Ron Evans, curator of primates at the Cincinnati Zoo, has known Ndume since he was 2. 

"No matter how important I am or my staff is to our gorillas here, we know it's secondary to them being around other gorillas. So it's not about us," Evans said.

Back in 1991, the Cincinnati Zoo loaned him to the Gorilla Foundation to be a companion to Koko, the famous gorilla who knew sign language. She died in June.  A legal agreement from 2015 shows a signed clause that, upon her death, Ndume would be placed in an institution recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

PETA put out a statement in support of the Cincinnati Zoo. The Deputy Counsel Delcianna Winders said: 

Gorillas' lives revolve around their families, yet the Gorilla Foundation is keeping Ndume in solitary confinement. He deserves to have the opportunity to thrive and socialize with other gorillas. PETA supports the Cincinnati Zoo's efforts to remove him from the Gorilla Foundation's tumbledown facility, with its history of failures in both cleaning and veterinary care.
In a letter, the Gorilla Foundation says due to his age and personality there's "a significant probability that proceeding down the path proposed by the AZA may kill Ndume."

That path is bringing him by plane back to Cincinnati where he was born, lived for 10 years and has family. Cincinnati Zoo officials say it's safe to transfer him. In fact, it's been done many times before in gorillas even older. Their main concern is that Ndume is living alone.

Evans said, "There aren't too many cases of gorillas being stuck isolated for their whole lives, because, again, most places know better than to do that."

When and if Ndume comes home, his aunt Samantha and half-sister M'Linzi will be waiting.

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