Gorilla Little Joe Leaving Boston Zoo
- Franklin Park Zoo's gorilla Little Joe is being relocated from Boston to an accredited institution. - Officials hope he will successfully start his own family at the new facility. - The move follows concerns about breeding opportunities and will alter Franklin Park Zoo exhibits and visitor experiences (patch.com).
Little Joe, Franklin Park Zoo’s 33-year-old gorilla, will leave Boston in the coming months for another accredited zoo. (zoonewengland.org) Zoo New England said April 21 that the move follows a breeding recommendation from the Gorilla Species Survival Plan, a national program coordinated through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo did not name Little Joe’s destination. (zoonewengland.org) (cbsnews.com) Officials said they want Little Joe to lead his own troop and start a family. Zoo New England President and Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Brinley said the recommendation was made after months of planning. (zoonewengland.org) The move is tied to how accredited zoos manage endangered animals across institutions. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums says its accredited facilities go through detailed reviews and on-site inspections, and Zoo New England said Species Survival Plans are designed to support threatened species in zoos and conservation work in the wild. (aza.org) (zoonewengland.org) Little Joe is a western lowland gorilla, a subspecies listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Zoo New England said western lowland gorillas face pressure in the wild from disease, poaching, logging and mining. (iucnredlist.org) (cbsnews.com) Franklin Park Zoo’s gorilla exhibit will change after he leaves. The zoo said two young males will arrive later this spring, including 8-year-old Moke from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. (zoonewengland.org) (nationalzoo.si.edu) Later this year, another male silverback will arrive from a different accredited zoo, and the younger males will join 5-year-old Pablo in a bachelor group. Assistant curator Erica Farrell said male gorilla moves depend on genetics, temperament, group stability and social fit. (zoonewengland.org) (cbsnews.com) Little Joe has been part of Boston zoo history for more than two decades. In 2003, he escaped his enclosure, ran into the city, injured a 2-year-old girl, and was recaptured about two hours later; the zoo later made safety upgrades. (cbsnews.com) For now, Little Joe is still at Franklin Park Zoo as staff prepare him for the transfer. Zoo New England said visitors can see him during Ape Awareness Month events running through April 25. (zoonewengland.org)
