Silverback gorilla Little Joe will leave Franklin Park Zoo to start family at Pittsburgh Zoo, "He's very excited"

It's a bittersweet ending for Boston residents who know and love Little Joe, a silverback gorilla who became an iconic fixture at the Franklin Park Zoo. 

Little Joe has spent 30 years in Boston, making headlines after escaping in 2003, running through the streets of the city, and injuring a little girl. 

"He's really a lovable gorilla. People really enjoy him," said Stephanie Brinley, the president and CEO of Zoo New England. 

Now he'll begin a new chapter at the Pittsburgh Zoo, where he'll be encouraged to start a family. 

"It's time for him to really take the next steps and for him to go someplace where he can join his own troop, become that silverback, and hopefully produce Joe Babies," said Brinley. "He's very excited, as you can see, and is very inquisitive. He's a very intelligent gorilla."

It's part of a big trade with Pittsburgh; in turn, Boston will receive Frankie and another juvenile male from the Smithsonian National Zoo, named Moki. 

Pittsburgh Veterinarian Christopher Bonas told WBZ-TV that Little Joe's genetics and personality made him ideal for the trade.

"First and foremost, this makes good sense in terms of reproduction and sustainability of our groups of gorillas in human care. Secondly, we know that he's gentle with other gorillas, especially juveniles and babies," Bonas said. "Because the gorillas that we have in human care provide an important assurance population to help prevent their extinction if something were to happen to the remaining ones out in nature."

May 16 and 17 will be Little Joe's last weekend at the Franklin Park Zoo. 

"It's not truly a goodbye. We'll keep tabs on him, but we really encourage folks to come out."