New Gorilla, Flamingo Chicks Call Riverbanks Zoo Home

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden announce Wednesday three new residents — a male western lowland gorilla and two Caribbean flamingo chicks.

Ajari, 12, is the first gorilla to make his home at the zoo since the arrival of Mike, 28, and Chaka, 21, in 2004, according to zoo officials.

Ajari was born at San Diego Zoo in California and had been living at the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee since May of 2010. He was transferred to Riverbanks in January.

“We have spent the past several months getting Ajari acclimated to his new home and the introduction process has gone very well,” John Davis, curator of mammals at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden said in a release. “Ajari is full of personality and we are excited to have him here at Riverbanks.”

Guests visiting the zoo can see Ajari on exhibit daily at Riverbanks’ Gorilla Base Camp.

The zoo’s flamingo exhibit also features two new additions. Two chicks were born at Riverbanks earlier this month can now be seen. The newborns hatched just days apart—one on June 11 and the other on June 16.

Riverbanks has been home to flamingos since the zoo opened in 1974. In the wild, these birds live around large lakes or lagoons in Africa, Eurasia and the West Indies, the Bahamas and Galapagos Islands.

The new chicks can be seen with the entire flock in their home in front of the Birdhouse at Riverbanks.

Submitted by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden