Cleveland Zoo says baby gorilla Jameela is having positive interactions

FORT WORTH — Baby Jameela is settling into the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo very well! 

In a video on X, gorilla zookeepers Brian Price and James Schell updated the public on Jameela's initial interactions with other gorillas there. Fort Worth Zoo gorilla team members Angie Holmes and Lindsay Byrne, who were there to help Jameela meet everyone, said everyone has been very welcoming to the three of them.

The baby Western lowland gorilla made history, being delivered via C-section by an OBGYN in Fort Worth. She was transferred to the Cleveland zoo because she was not able to properly bond with her birth mother here. 

But, Price says there are promising signs for Jameela to bond with a surrogate mother gorilla.

"Our initial intro process has been really great," he shared. "We've had intros from multiple gorillas. Fredericka, who is our proven surrogate, came over and had some really good interactions with Jameela—she made some vocalizations." 

Price also mentioned another young gorilla wanting to play with Jameela. He says both teams from each of the zoos are very hopeful that this will be a good fit for Jameela and the other gorillas at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.