Audubon Zoo Announces Death of Infant Gorilla

Sad news from Audubon Zoo’s World of Primates, gorilla Tumani’s infant has died.

Despite the heroic efforts of Audubon’s animal care and veterinary teams, the infant died shortly after it was born on January 23, 2026. Audubon’s veterinarians will conduct additional exams to try and determine the infant’s cause of death.

The infant was the second for 18-year-old Tumani, and dad 31-year-old Okpara. In 2020, their first infant died due to an unexpected medical condition with Tumani.

Western lowland gorillas like those at Audubon Zoo have been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered, with a population decline of more than 80%, mainly due to illegal hunting, disease, habitat loss, and an increase in poaching.