Yola, Almost Grown Up

It’s hard to believe that Yola, the Woodland Park Zoo’s beloved baby gorilla, is about to turn ten-years-old later this year - a young adult in the gorilla world. My book, Growing Up Gorilla, tells the true story of Yola’s rocky first months of life when her mother, Nadiri, refused to nurse or hold her after her birth. A baby gorilla needs constant attention in order to thrive, just like a human baby. Fortunately, the gorilla keepers found an innovative way to care for Yola in the gorilla dens where she was surrounded by the sights and sounds of her gorilla family and had daily visits with Nadiri. Within six months, a strong bond grew between mother and daughter and continues to shape their lives today.

According to gorilla keeper Judy Sievert, Yola has matured into a healthy, well-adjusted 200 - pound female and gets along well with the rest of her western lowland gorilla family group. She loves to play with her four-year-old half-sister, Zuna, and they often sleep side by side. But when Zuna’s rambunctious half-brother, Kitoko, starts to play rough with Zuna, Yola comes to her sister’s defense.

A recent Zoo Blog post explained that five-year-old Kitoko is approaching an age when juvenile male gorillas in the wild start to push their weight around and act out while the adult gorillas try to keep them in line. But when Kitoko’s mother, Uzumma, steps in, things can escalate quickly.

Uzumma is the dominant or highest-ranking female in the family group. She is strong and can be aggressive when it comes to protecting her son. In the interest of keeping peace in the group, the female gorillas have shown deference to her and mostly ignore Kitoko’s mischievous behavior.  

 But Yola has started to stand up to Uzumma. “Yola is socially very savvy,” keeper Sievert says. “She’s an aunt, a big sister, and a backup defender for her mother who is the most subordinate female in the group…she knows when it is prudent to do so and also when she should back down.”

 Yola, Zuna and Nadiri are often seen together, foraging for leaves and flowers in the outdoor exhibit or resting behind the scenes in the gorilla dens. With her deep ties to family and growing confidence in herself, Yola is already a strong role model for her younger sister and an important support for her mother in dealing with the gorilla group. Watching her grow up has been a rare privilege, giving us insights into the social dynamics of gorilla “society” and a glowing example of how one brave and determined baby gorilla can uplift her whole family.