Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and CrossCountry Mortgage are inviting the public to help choose a name for the first gorilla born at the zoo in its 139-year history. The naming opportunity not only will help the male gorilla, born October 26, settle into his home at the zoo but also supports conservation of the critically endangered species in the wild.  
 
Participants can cast votes online by making a financial contribution for any of three names at FutureForWildlife.org/gorillanaming or by voting in person at the gorilla habitat at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

The three name finalists include:

Bakari, “One who will succeed”

Jabari, “Fearless or brave one”

Kayembe, “Extraordinary”

“Gorillas are an incredible species and the birth of the first gorilla here in Cleveland has been another reminder of why we need to protect them from extinction,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar. “Every vote to help name our gorilla will have a direct impact, protecting this iconic and critically endangered species in the wild.”
 
An exclusive video series created in partnership with CrossCountry Mortgage continues to follow the baby’s growth and development.
 
“Cleveland is this baby gorilla’s hometown, and what better way to deepen the public’s connection than helping us select his name,” said Laura Soave, Chief Brand Officer, CrossCountry Mortgage. “We look forward to engaging the public in this opportunity and others moving forward that continue to position Cleveland, its remarkable park system and the world-class zoo as must-see destinations for decades to come.”
 
The gorilla’s birth in late October was estimated to be a month premature and his mother, Nneka, did not immediately show appropriate maternal care that is required for newborn gorillas. However, the troop’s eldest female, Fredrika or “Freddy,” quickly picked him up and has been serving as his surrogate mother ever since. In November he developed pneumonia, requiring zoo experts to step in and provide hands-on 24/7 care but this month he was successfully reunited with Freddy and the troop following his recovery.
 
Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by The World Conservation Union (IUCN). Each donation to help name the baby will help conserve gorillas in the wild through Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s longtime partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Dr. Kristen Lukas, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Director of Conservation & Science, serves as vice chair of the Fossey Fund board and also works abroad alongside the Fossey Fund to help train Rwandan scientists studying at Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
 
Guests visiting Cleveland Metroparks Zoo can visit the baby and gorilla troop at the Primate, Cat & Aquatics building daily between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The western lowland gorilla was born in late October 2021 and was the first gorilla born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in its 139 year history.

The baby was premature at birth and developed pneumonia in November requiring zoo animal care and veterinary experts to step in and provide hands-on 24/7 care of the gorilla until he fully recovered.

After his recovery, zoo experts placed him back in a nest and surrogate mother “Freddy” picked him up and took him back into her care.

Nicknamed “Baby G,” Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage will reveal a public naming opportunity of the baby gorilla in the coming weeks.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo today announced the birth of a male gorilla, the first born at the Zoo in its 139-year history. Cleveland Metroparks also announced a long-term partnership with Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage that will include a public naming opportunity of the new gorilla, an exclusive video series featuring updates on the growth and development of the infant, and an array of other activities.

Trick-or-treat your way over to Gumleaf Hideout in Australian Adventure to see Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s newest addition - a baby koala, also known as a joey! This is the second joey for mom, Mackenzie, and dad, Nyoonbi. Keepers first noted pouch movements on Mackenzie back in April. The joey has officially left the pouch and is climbing around on mom! Guests can visit mom and joey on even numbered calendar dates during regular Zoo hours. 

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo yesterday announced the arrival of a two-month-old Malayan tiger cub from the Tulsa Zoo. The female Malayan tiger cub, named Indrah, has joined Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s two Amur tiger cubs that were born in late December to form a social group of two endangered subspecies of tigers.

“Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Tulsa Zoo both recently celebrated the incredible births of endangered tiger cubs,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar. “Socialization of tigers at an early age is incredibly important and raising these cubs as part of a unique social group will allow them to develop skills and behaviors together.”

Photos courtesy of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

The move was spearheaded through the partnerships of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Tulsa Zoo and coordinated through the Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. The Tiger SSP administrates the highest standards of care and welfare for tigers by working collaboratively across the over 230 accredited zoos of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Additionally, SSP programs represent their species regionally and internationally through husbandry, conservation efforts and scientific opportunities.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo today announced the birth of two Amur tiger cubs, the first tigers born in Cleveland in 20 years. 

The cubs, a male and female, were born overnight between December 24 and December 25, and are being hand-reared by a special team of Animal Care experts behind-the-scenes at the Zoo’s Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine.

Over the past few weeks, the cubs have been bottle-fed five times a day and have been gaining weight as well as reaching developmental milestones including opening their eyes and beginning to walk. Once they are a few months old, having gained adequate strength and fitness, they will make their home at the Zoo’s Rosebrough Tiger Passage.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo  today launched a naming opportunity for its male giraffe calf to help support giraffe conservation efforts in the wild.

To participate in the naming opportunity, guests can cast a vote online at clevelandzoosociety.org or by visiting the Welcome Plaza at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to make a donation for one of the following names:

Kendi, meaning loved one
Nuru, meaning light
Zuva, meaning day or sun

"The pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on our world, including on many of our conservation partners we support abroad that help protect vulnerable species like giraffe,” said Dr. Chris Kuhar, Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. “By helping us name our newest giraffe calf, you are also supporting our conservation partners in their efforts to protect giraffe populations in Africa."

Each of the names are unique to giraffes’ native regions in Africa, where their population has decreased by nearly 40% over the last 15 years. The current global giraffe population is estimated to be less than 80,000.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation helps protect giraffes by addressing poaching and illegal snaring, translocating animals to secure endangered populations, and also conducting studies on population and disease. Each year the Zoo, in partnership with the Cleveland Zoological Society, provides more than $650,000 in direct support to global conservation efforts, which have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The naming opportunity will conclude at midnight on Thursday, November 5. All donations received will support conservation programs, including programs that protect giraffe.

The new giraffe calf was born on October 13 to mom, Jhasmin, and dad, Bo. The calf was born weighing approximately 150 pounds and standing nearly six feet tall.

For more information on Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and its conservation efforts visit FutureForWildlife.org.

VOTE for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Giraffe Calf Name!: 
https://www.clevelandzoosociety.org/donate/giraffe-naming

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After waiting four months for its new Sloth Bear cub to emerge from the den, staff at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo gave the cub its first checkup. They learned that the cub is a female!

Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Born on January 14, the cub is the first to be born at the zoo in 30 years. The cub’s parents are mom Shiva and dad Balawat, and this is the first cub for both. ZooBorns reported on the cub’s birth here.

Fans are invited to help name the little cub by visiting the Sloth Bear habitat at the zoo, or by going online and make a donation to the Future for Wildlife Fund. You can choose one of the following names by midnight on May 27:

• Lali, meaning darling
• Nisha, meaning night
• Shala, an homage to mom Shiva and dad Balawat

The names reflect the native home of Sloth Bears in India.

The cub stays close to Shiva for now, and she will ride on mom’s back until she is about six months old. As an adult, the cub will weigh around 300 pounds.

Sloth Bears have flexible snouts which help to suck up grubs and termites from trees. Sloth Bears also feed on fruits, flowers, sugar cane, and honey.

Sloth Bears are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Factors such as habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict threaten Sloth Bears’ survival. The zoo participates in a project to protect Sloth Bears in Nepal, where populations have plummeted in recent years. Donations made through the naming contest go toward this project.

A male Masai Giraffe calf weighing 101 pounds was born on April 15 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

The calf’s parents are mom Jada and dad Bo. Bo came to the zoo in 2017 and this is the first calf he sired since his arrival. Bo is the tallest Giraffe in the zoo’s herd, standing nearly 17 feet tall. His offspring stood nearly six feet tall at birth. The newborn’s height and weight are impressive, but he is actually smaller than the typical newborn male. Some can weigh up to 150 pounds at birth. Therefore, the staff is monitoring the calf closely, although there are no problems so far.

Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

The calf has not yet been named. The zoo plans to announce a naming contest in a few weeks.

The calf will soon join his parents and the rest of the herd in the zoo’s Giraffe exhibit. Zoo guests can hand-feed the Giraffes from an elevated platform.

Wild Giraffes in Africa are in decline, with populations dropping 40% in the last 15 years to a current total of 80,000 individuals.  Giraffes are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Future for Wildlife Fund helps protect giraffes by addressing poaching and illegal snaring, translocating animals to secure endangered populations, and also conducting studies on population and disease.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo recently announced the birth of a Sloth Bear cub to 4-year-old mom, Shiva, and 13-year-old dad, Balawat. The cub is the first Sloth Bear born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in 30 years.

The cub was born on January 14 and is the first offspring for both mom and dad. The cub currently weighs approximately six pounds and is learning how to walk. Both mom and cub are doing well but will den for several weeks before they will be visible to the public.

The cub’s gender has not yet been determined, but Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will continue to provide updates on the Sloth Bear family and details on the public’s chance to help name the cub.

Photo Credits: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Sloth Bears (Melursus ursinus) can weigh up to 300 pounds when fully grown. The species has several distinctive features and behaviors. Their unique flexible snouts act as a vacuum cleaner in sucking up termites or grubs from trees. Aside from insects, Sloth Bears also eat fruits, flowers, sugar cane and honey. Young Sloth Bears will ride on their mother’s back, by clinging to their long fur, till up to six months of age.

Sloth Bears are listed as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is currently supporting a project to protect Sloth Bears in Nepal, where populations have declined dramatically in recent decades due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and poaching.