The newest addition to the San Francisco Zoo’s gorilla preserve is Gen Z … and on the cusp of extinction.
The San Francisco Zoo and Gardens is expected to become a national destination for panda-watching in 2026 when the zoological anticipates the arrival of two giant pandas on loan from China; should those two massive bears go on display as planned, San Francisco Zoo will have the largest public collection of red and giant pandas on display anywhere outside mainland China.
Before that, though, SF Zoo will welcome an adult western lowland gorilla into its gorilla preserve.
In a statement released by SF Zoo, the wildlife park will acquire a 27-year-old male western lowland gorilla, Cecil, from sister zoo the Louisville Zoo, this month.
Born on November 3rd, 1998, at the Cincinnati Zoo, Cecil comes from a long line of “carefully managed genetics,” ensuring he’s able to foster future generations of healthy young gorillas; western lowland gorillas are believed to number just 100,000 individuals in the wild and continue seeing population declines due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching.
Now, having reached full maturity, Cecil has been identified by the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) as a favorable candidate for the eventual leadership of a family group; Louisville Zoo notes his genetics offer a “strong match for the female gorillas at San Francisco Zoo,” although proper acclimation and social introductions are in order well before any mating could safely occur.
Cecil’s new home will be the Jones Family Gorilla Preserve at San Francisco Zoo, which, while short of their natural habitat size — western lowland gorilla groups commonly occupy home ranges between nine and fourteen square miles — remains one of the nation’s largest mixed-area primate enclosures.
“We are excited to welcome Cecil to lead our gorilla troop,” said Eric Krussman, San Francisco Zoo’s Executive Vice President of Animal Care. “Cecil will enjoy a peaceful, serene grassy habitat with rocky structures and a cypress tree to climb and, of course, a new family group. We thank the Louisville Zoo for giving Cecil a rousing send-off, as we know he is a fan favorite there.”When Cecil is moved from his Appalachian roots, the adult gorilla will be accompanied by a familiar zookeeper from the Louisville Zoo to ensure things run smoothly and he suffers the least amount of stress possible. Cecil’s soon-to-be arrival at the San Francisco Zoo comes months after Oscar died from old age at 43 years old; Oscar was one of the oldest gorillas to ever be kept in captivity.
