Today in History

December 22, 1956

The First Gorilla Born in Captivity

On this day in 1956, the Columbus Zoo in Ohio celebrated the birth of the first gorilla born in captivity. The baby, Colo, was 4 pounds and the daughter of two Western Lowland gorillas captured in French Cameroon.

When gorillas were captured in the wild, they were often taken young enough to be reared by humans, and their parents and families were killed. Because her parents had not learned parenting skills from their own parents, zookeepers built a nursery and raised Colo themselves.

Today captive breeding programs create habitats that simulate the gorillas' natural environment, and many babies are raised by their parents. Colo passed away on January 17, 2017, and was one of the oldest gorilla in captivity at 60 years old. Her progeny includes children all the way to great-great-grandchildren.

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