Woodland Park Zoo Press Release

SEATTLE - At a naming celebration held today at Woodland Park Zoo, Ivar’s and Kidd Valley opened a sealed envelope and announced the long-awaited name of the zoo’s female, 5-month-old gorilla: Uzumma (uh-zum-ma), which means “bearer of joy to the family” in the African language Igbo (ee-boo). The official announcement culminated a three-week-long baby gorilla naming contest presented by Ivar’s and Kidd Valley and the zoo that invited Washington state residents to submit names of African origin. Nearly a thousand entries were submitted.

Photo: Ryan Hawk

Rhys (reese) Olson of Seattle submitted the winning name for the western lowland gorilla. The 3 1/2-year-old boy, who attended the celebration, receives a 12-month family membership to Woodland Park Zoo, $150 Ivar’s gift card, 12-month adoption of the baby gorilla, commemorative gorilla print and large plush gorilla. The top six contest finalists attended the celebration. To qualify, names had to be in the African languages of Swahili, Hausa (HOW-suh), Igbo (ee-boo), or Yoruba (YOUR-uh-buh) to honor the zoo’s tradition of naming its animals in languages reflecting their area of origin.

In addition to Uzumma, the other top names submitted were: Ekema (eh-kem-ma), Igbo for “beautiful Eke Market Day”; and Abeni (ah-beh-nee), Yoruba for “one who you must beg for to have.” The zoo’s gorilla keeper staff and volunteers served as the judges.

The CEO of Ivar’s and Kidd Valley, Bob Donegan, announced the winning name. “Everyone at Ivar’s Seafood Restaurants and Kidd Valley was very excited to partner with Woodland Park Zoo for naming the baby gorilla,” noted Donegan. “We hope the contest has helped spark an appreciation for gorillas and that the community will be inspired to learn about these magnificent apes and about what they can do to help preserve their future in the wild.”

“ The name is befitting for our newest conservation ambassador,” remarked Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Dr. Deborah Jensen. “Our baby gorilla has certainly brought joy and smiles to the faces of our zoo family and visitors, and working with Ivar’s and Kidd Valley has been a rewarding partnership. We look forward to future collaborations.”

The gorilla, born last October, represents the twelfth successful gorilla birth for the zoo and the third offspring between 38-year-old Amanda and the father, 29-year-old Vip. Currently weighing approximately 16 pounds, “Uzumma is progressing remarkably well and she and her mother have a very strong bond. She’s also beginning to interact more with other family members,” explained Woodland Park Zoo General Curator Dr. Nancy Hawkes. “Nursing is still her primary source of nutrition, but she’s showing genuine interest in a variety of vegetables, bananas, cooked yam and apple juice.” The zoo currently houses 11 gorillas in two separate groups in the award-winning Tropical Rain Forest.

The western lowland gorilla lives in six countries across west equatorial Africa: southeast Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, west Congo and Equatorial Guinea. All gorillas are endangered and the western lowland gorilla is the most numerous with a population of approximately 94,000. However, the population is declining due to poaching and disease (World Wildlife Fund). The bushmeat trade, facilitated by logging, and the Ebola virus have become immediate threats to the western lowland gorilla population, particularly in Cameroon.

The gorilla naming celebration kicked off Primetime for Primates, held Friday, April 4, as part of EcoWeekend presented by ShoreBank Pacific and The Boeing Company. Primetime for Primates puts the spotlight on orangutans, gorillas and siamangs with special keeper talks, a puppet show in Zoomazium and other activities. EcoWeekend continues through Sunday, April 6, to celebrate wildlife, the wild places humans share with animals and the changes we can make to positively impact the planet.

For information about EcoWeekend, visit www.zoo.org or call 206.548.2500 or 206.548.2599 (TTY). EcoWeekend is free with zoo admission.

The zoo opens 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily through April 30. Admission through April 30: Adult (13-64) $11.00; Child (3-12) $8.00; Toddler (0-2) Free. Seniors and people with disabilities receive a discount and zoo members receive free zoo admission year-round.

Parking: $4.50. Consider taking the bus, biking, walking or carpooling. Conserving resources is one more way of helping the animals. Call Metro at 206.553.3000 for bus service to the zoo.

Started on Seattle's waterfront in 1938, today, there are 24 Ivar's fast casual Seafood Bars, three Fish Bars, and three full-service restaurants: Ivar's Acres of Clams, Ivar's Salmon House and Ivar's Mukilteo Landing. Ivar's Soup and Sauce Company markets and sells its award-winning soups, chowders, and sauces both nationally and internationally. The company also operates 19 regional stadium concessions including Safeco Field, Qwest Field, Husky Stadium and the Everett Event Center. Learn more at www.ivars.net.

Kidd Valley's made-to-order burgers, old fashioned hand-mixed shakes, fresh onion rings and signature fried mushrooms began in 1975 in a small Seattle storefront. Today, Kidd Valley has several locations throughout Western Washington. Learn more at www.kiddvalley.com.