CINCINNATI — Three new "bachelor" gorillas are now at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Chipua, Pendeka and Konga arrived from the Detroit Zoo earlier this month and can now be seen by visitors at Gorilla World from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
"We are excited to house this bachelor troop, as it is the first time the Cincinnati Zoo has housed this type of troop structure in its long history of caring for gorillas!" Victoria McGee, zoological manager of primates, said in a press release. "We look forward to sharing this experience with our Zoo members and guests."
The zoo said bachelor troops are an important part of native gorilla habitat regions. They often show more aggression, whether that be through vocal conflict or physical altercations. The zoo said that aggression helps establish a hierarchy and teaches gorillas in the troop how to "interact with each other and navigate their dynamic social structure," but it can look scary for humans.
Bachelor troops can exist before the gorillas establish a family group, or they can stay in all-male troops for decades.
Chipua, Pendeka and Konga's move are part of the species survival plan goals for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' gorilla population. There are less than 800 gorillas in zoos worldwide, with western lowland gorillas critically endangered in the wild.
For more information on the zoo's newest residents, click here.
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