🎉🦍 Happy 26th Birthday, Zwalani 🦍🎉

Today, we’re celebrating the incredibly clever and gentle Western lowland gorilla male silverback, Zwalani! Much like his grandmother Josephine, he has shown remarkable intelligence, curiosity, and heart. During training sessions, Zwalani is calm, patient, and deeply engaged with his Wildlife Care team. Being touched by his team is still a fairly new experience for him, and one he clearly loves, especially when it comes to tummy touches which often earn delighted giggles in response. Zwalani is quick to study his Wildlife Care team, carefully observing and trying to predict what will happen next and always thinking a few steps ahead. Zwalani is thoroughly enjoying getting to know the girls in the troop, and we’ve already seen many positive interactions. It’s been just as fun for the Wildlife Care team to build a strong relationship with him and watch his inquisitive nature shine as he investigates his surroundings, while taking on new challenges. His patience and intelligence allow him to approach enrichment and problem-solving on a whole new level. He loves to train and greets the start of every session with a happy little grumble. There may even be a little romance in the air. Recently, female Ngozi has been expressing interest in Zwalani, sharing affectionate love grumbles that can be heard behind-the-scenes 💚 As we celebrate Zwalani and his first birthday here in Toronto, we’re reminded of our deep and unwavering commitment to gorilla conservation - both in human care and in the wild. Are you aware? As an accredited member of international conservation and breeding programs, your Zoo supports collaborative efforts that help maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population while advancing our understanding of gorilla behaviour, health, and wellbeing. Beyond your Zoo, this commitment extends to protecting gorillas in their native habitats through support for field conservation initiatives, habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts, and community-based programs like PhoneApes that address the root cause of decline amongst their wild counterparts. By combining conservation action, research, and public education, we are honoured to play an active role in safeguarding the future of Western lowland gorillas for generations to come. Join us in wishing a wonderful birthday to Zwalani! We’re incredibly excited to watch his story as an ambassador for his species unfold. #GuardiansofGorillas