SEATTLE — Ivan, the 35-year-old silverback gorilla at Zoo Atlanta, had his first experience mating with a female gorilla, 14-year-old Kinyani (kin-YAW-nee). Ivan is on breeding loan from Woodland Park Zoo. He moved to Zoo Atlanta in October 1994 to be socialized after living in Tacoma as an isolated male.

Zoo Atlanta Keeper II Laura Mayo said, "This morning Ivan and Kinyani were spending a lot of time close to one another. I heard Ivan make some natural courtship vocalizations which Kinyani took as a cue to solicit to him. She presented to him two to three times and the third time she backed into him and he pulled her closer and they started mating."

Kinyani joined Ivan and female gorilla Shamba on exhibit in the Ford African Rain Forest last March. Kinyani was the first female to mate with Willie B. Of this, Zoo Atlanta’s President and CEO Dr. Terry L. Maple said, "Kinyani seems to be the correct socializing agent. She is romantic and she has done it before!"

Woodland Park Zoo Director Dave Towne said, "This fulfills the hopes that we had in moving Ivan to Zoo Atlanta. This reaffirms professional opinions that Ivan would be successful as a gorilla in a social situation. Congratulations to Ivan and Zoo Atlanta."

"This is extremely significant for Ivan, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s (AZA) Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) and Zoo Atlanta," explained Dr. Maple. "Ivan has made the transition from an isolated gorilla to a social gorilla. It was a slower process than with Willie B., but with this critical step he has a chance to end up as successful as Willie B.," added Dr. Maple. Ivan’s next step is to produce offspring and to become a parent. Dr. Maple reflects, "The SSP selected Zoo Atlanta to socialize Ivan and we are proud to have done this not once but twice — first with Willie B. and now with Ivan."

Zoo Atlanta’s Curator of Primates Charles Horton said, "When we saw Kinyani flirting with Ivan from across the moat, we had a strong feeling that she might be the appropriate mate for him. Her diminutive size, quiet social demeanor and reputation for teaching silverbacks to mate made her a better candidate for making Ivan feel more comfortable in a social situation than the previous females we had tried."

AZA Executive Director Sydney J. Butler said, "This is terrific news all around — Zoo Atlanta has socialized Ivan, Ivan is enjoying his socialization, and his offspring will provide stronger genetic diversity for gorilla survival programs worldwide.

Note: The lovers are in seclusion and there are no photo opps at this time.