Jontu, a 26-year-old western lowland gorilla, arrived at Brookfield Zoo in early February from Saint Louis Zoo. Since his arrival, the silverback (adult male gorilla) has been behind the scenes getting acclimated to his new surroundings. Jontu is now comfortable in his new home with all the members of the gorilla group—Binti, 35; Koola, 28; Kamba,18; Nora, 9; and Ali, 4.
Now, with introductions complete and Jontu seeming relaxed and engaged with enrichment items placed throughout the habitat, the nearly 500-pound ape is ready to meet zoogoers. A silverback gorilla plays an important role - protecting members within the group, he also maintains harmony amongst everyone and breaks up disputes if needed. At his former home, Jontu proved to be a very calm and even-keeled leader and individual, which is what Brookfield Zoo’s gorilla group needs at this time. Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
This is primarily due to commercial hunting for the bushmeat trade, diseases such as the Ebola virus, as well as the illegal pet trade and habitat destruction from logging. It is estimated that there are approximately 300,000 western lowland gorillas found in swamps and dry lowland forests throughout Western Equatorial Africa, including in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, and Republic of the Congo.