Vila has long been a favorite of visitors and staff at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. She is one of the three oldest known gorillas living today, and we had a birthday party for her on Wednesday, October 28. We wrapped presents full of fruit, nuts, and seeds for the entire troop, and Vila enjoyed a peanut-butter frosted banana ice cake topped with carrot “candles.” The gorilla exhibit was decorated with flowers, ginger leaves, colorful streamers, and “Happy Birthday” signs stuck to rocks with peanut butter. See video
Although she is “up there” in age, Vila is in excellent health, has a good appetite, and normal behavior. She does have some age-related issues, so she does get senior vitamins and medicine for arthritis, which works well: she has no trouble getting around.
Living in Southern California helps as well, as the temperate climate is very easy on an aging gorilla, and even though she is missing a few teeth, corn on the cob is one of her favorite foods and she never misses a kernel!
When Vila goes on exhibit in the morning, we always say she looks like a powdered donut because bits of hay always stick to her! She likes to play with or cover herself in whatever she can find inside (hay, excelsior, paper towels) and it shows. For some reason, these items don’t stick to the other gorillas with quite the same grip!
Vila’s only child, Alvila, resides at the San Diego Zoo as do several of Vila’s grandchildren and her great-grandson, Frank (see post Frank the Gorilla: First Year). Frank the Gorilla: First Year She also has two great-great grandchildren at the Park, Jamani and Ajari. Vila has been a surrogate mom to many others and a mentor to many (including Winston, who needed some instruction on proper gorilla behavior), establishing herself as a very integral member of the Park’s gorilla troop.
We fully expect Vila to add years and years to the longevity record!
Peggy Sexton is a senior keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
do gorillas live to as long as most humans?
Moderator’s note: No, they live about 35 years in the wild, up to 50 years in zoos.
Ahhh happy birthday Vila, I’ll see you soon when I visit in december
Wow! Happy Birthday Vila and may you have many more!! Obviously she is being extremely well cared for, that is just amazing..good for her and great for her many fans.
she is living the life !! You go girl ! haha…does all animals in SDZ goes to a cage at nite?? then go out to exhibit in the am….or is just certain animals??
Moderator’s note: It depends on the species and the exhibit. The gorillas do go into their bedrooms in the evening.
Happy birthday Vila, I wish you many more healthy happy years.
Congrats to Vila and great job to the staff over the years for helping her make it to 52, TEAMWORK IS EVERYTHING.
SAL
This reminds me of when I was 9 years old and went to the Columbus Zoo to see the first ever zoo born Gorilla, Colo. What a memory!!
Happy Birthday Vila, hope to see you when i visit in 2 weeks. you go girl
Happy B-Day Vila!!!
Happy Birthday Vila!
Hi! I was wondering how many gorillas are in your other gorilla troop at the zoo. The one without Frank. And what are the genders of the group members? Just curious. Thanks!
Moderator’s note: Your question has been forwarded to our animal care staff.
wow! a milestone 52 years! that is unreal! I wonder why she only had one offspring! maybe that’s why she has lived so long!!! kids can drive you crazy, drive one to drink, and certainly age you! lol!!!!…………….
I have seen the gorilla exibit at the zoo, but not in the wild animal park! how many gorillas are housed at the WAP? is there a video of Vila’s birthday celebration? 52 years is really something to celebrate for her and the staff & keepers too! she must be a special girl and somewhat of a royal nature due to her years!
hopefully she will stay healthy and live out the rest of her life comfortably! it just goes to show you how long they can live in captivity with excellent care. kudos to SDZ keepers and staff. I wish I was close enough to your zoo to go and see vila and pay her my respects!!!
Moderator’s note: There are six gorillas at the Wild Animal Park. We hope to have video of the party posted on Friday.
Happy birthday to Vila! I wish there will be many more in the coming years!
I believe the words “Living in Southern California” in 3rd paragraph is a typo. You probably meant “Northern California”, right? =)
Congratulations Vila on a long and happy life at WAP!
Thanks to all your keepers and staff who have provided excellent care for you to life such a long and healthy life.
WOW I had no idea that you had other Gorillas, I love Paul Donns family ! I didn’t know you let them “out” of an exhibit, you mean they can walk around? I must read more about WAP, because do you go in a Hummer thing or bus, or wait let me look it up, I just wanted to say THANKS something else for me to look at on this site….I love San Diego, maybe I will retire there, thanks again.
Moderator’s note: The gorillas go out to their exhibit from their bedroom areas in the morning. And here’s more information about the Wild Animal Park, which is 35 miles north of the San Diego Zoo.
Happy Birthday to Vila! I enjoyed imagining her eating corn on the cob.
Where was Vila born? (I’m assuming she was born in the wild, but where?)
What a lovely tribute to a beautiful Grande Dame. Such a beautiful ambassador for her species.
I hope to visit San Diego in January, and hope I have the time to visit WAP. I believe she deserves extra effort to visit. I hope your birthday was as much fun for you, Vila, and it was for us humans to see and/or read about.
I, too, would like to know if Vila is captive born, or wild born? And where.
Happy Birthday, Vila! Hope to visit you again soon.
Here’s some information about Vila from an article Keeper Peggy wrote for our member magazine “ZOONOOZ” in 2005:
Vila was born in Africa in 1957 and was hand raised at the San Diego Zoo’s Children’s Zoo. Participating in a landmark study on great ape intelligence that spanned six years, Vila contributed to the baseline of scientific knowledge about gorillas. Then paired with Albert, another San Diego legend, she gave birth in 1965 to Alvila, the first gorilla born in San Diego and only the 10th to be born in a zoo.
Vila moved to the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in 1975. Although reproductive problems prevented her from maintaining pregnancies, Vila’s gentleness and patience made her a perfect surrogate mother to infants whose own mothers could not take care of them. Mother-reared infants have also gravitated toward her over the years.
Thank you, Moderator, for the additional information about SDZ’s beloved Vila. She sounds like a special gorilla.
My local zoo has at least one gorilla over 40 and I read that she is (or at some point was) the oldest gorilla in captivity to give birth. She has been a good mom, too, and was born in Kenya if I remember correctly. There aren’t a lot of wild-born gorillas in zoos anymore so I think they are extra-special!
Happy Birthday Vila. You have made to an age that my grandmother and mother never made it to. I am sure your party was a blast..it looked like it on the video. Many more healthy and happy years ahead.
#11 Nick
Yes, there are two troops of gorillas at the San Diego Zoo. Silverback Memba’s troop includes Alvila (Vila’s only child), Jessica, Jessica and Memba’s sons Maka, Mandazi, and Ekuba, and female Ndjoli and her son with Memba, Boundje. Whew!
Silverback Paul Donn’s troop includes females Ndjia, Imani, and Azizi, and, of course, little Frank.
I’m a little late in saying this, but, “kudos” to whomever is responsible, for the improvements in the cam. It is much more enjoyable to watch, now that I can identify what I’m watching.
Happy Birthday, Vila!! From reading the update, it looks like you had a very nice day! Have a question for Moderator—Is Vila all by herself at WAP or does she have some gorilla family with her? Hate to see that she’s all by herself!
Some news from Atlanta Zoo from an update dated September 3, 2009! Orangutan keepers and zoo vets have announced that 17 year old Bornean Orangutan, Miri, maybe expecting her 2nd baby sometime around March or April, 2010. They havn’t done an ultrasound on her yet, but keepers and vets believe that she could be pregnant based on the physical signs of pregnancy on Miri’s body that they have been noticing recently. Orang gestation time is around 235-270 days. Miri still has her first baby with her, Satu, who is 5 years old. Satu is not much of a baby anymore but still hangs with his mom. But, the vets and keepers will be watching and monitoring Miri thru the next few months, and they hope to see a successful pregnancy and birth of a new baby orangutan next year!
Also read the article about Frank and his first year of life. He has had a lot of firsts for his first year, along with alot of milestones and challenges during that time. It looks like all of the gorillas in the troop are really enjoying having Frank around and taking care of him. I just loved the pic of Frank sitting next to his dad, Paul Donn. That is a very special pic of them, you all!
Well, gonna go for now. Will check back later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: Vila lives with the rest of her troop at the Wild Animal Park. Be sure to watch the video of the troop during her party!
Gorilla Kudzoo at Zoo Atlanta is pregnant! The Father will be Taz.
The Topeka Zoo says tests show a lowland gorilla died over the weekend of a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
M’Bili was born at the San Diego Wild Animal Park on February 15, 1992. He had been residing at the San Diego Zoo before his arrival at the Topeka Zoo in December 2001.
RIP M’Bili
Moderator’s note: We have also been notified regarding M’bili’s sudden death and our animal care staff (who worked closely with him) will miss him.
Happy 52 birthday Vila. Hope you had a happy birthday.Was your cake good ?Did you like your peanut butter? I like peanut butter also.I am doing a report on you for my school.
Hi! Speaking about gorillas, I just got on the Atlanta Zoo website and clicked on an article about a breakthru on gorilla health care! Ozzie, their western lowland senior citizen gorilla, was the first gorilla ever to voluntarily have his blood pressure taken by zoo vets. This is remarkable because zoo keepers in all of the zoos that have gorillas are always on the lookout for health issues in older gorillas. AZ has the largest collection of gorillas in the zoo–22 of them! Four of the gorillas are in their senior citizen years ranging between 40 & 50 years old. The article is a great read which describes how the gorilla blood pressure device was made and the groups of people who got this together to test it out on Ozzie. The link to this article is on the front main page of the Atlanta Zoo website. It also has a great pic of Ozzie!
I have been checking the NZ gorilla cam to try and catch Mandara & Kibibi, and they are not outside today because of this rain and wind that they are having right now. Kibibi is now 10 months old, and she had her first tiny tast of pumpkin during their Halloween week there. She’s a growing girl!
Well, that’s all of the news about the gorillas for now. I did check the SDZ apecam, but no orangs or siamangs were in view. Will check back in later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
I’d like to write a paper for my Anthropology class about Vila. Is there any more information on her? Like the study she was involved in. Might there be more information at the zoo?
Thank you for all the info on Vila. And Happy belated Birthday, Vila!!! She has already exceeded the standard 50 years for zoo living. Must be because she was hand raised at a very early age by the SDZ staff. What a beauty. I will have to look for her when I get down to the zoo. My list of animals to visit is getting long!
Moderator’s note: Please remember that Vila lives at the Wild Animal Park, not the Zoo.
wow!! first time ever I have seen a monkey or maybe chimp actually on the cam!
they are holding a stick of something and chewing bites off of it? What could they be eating?
Animal Care Team responds: They could have been simply eating browse, which composes a fraction of their daily diet. Browse is a very natural and normal thing for them to eat, and we love it because it triggers some very natural food-processing behaviors. If you watch closely, there is a system in which they first strip the leaves, then the bark, then eat the pith. They also use it to “fish” for goodies in the artificial termite mounds.
wow!! first time ever I have seen a monkey or maybe chimp actually on the cam!
they are holding a stick of something and chewing bites off of it? What could they be eating?
Animal Care Team responds: They could have been simply eating browse, which composes a fraction of their daily diet. Browse is a very natural and normal thing for them to eat, and we love it because it triggers some very natural food-processing behaviors. If you watch closely, there is a system in which they first strip the leaves, then the bark, then eat the pith. They also use it to “fish” for goodies in the artificial termite mounds.
wow!! first time ever I have seen a monkey or maybe chimp actually on the cam!
they are holding a stick of something and chewing bites off of it? What could they be eating?
Animal Care Team responds: They could have been simply eating browse, which composes a fraction of their daily diet. Browse is a very natural and normal thing for them to eat, and we love it because it triggers some very natural food-processing behaviors. If you watch closely, there is a system in which they first strip the leaves, then the bark, then eat the pith. They also use it to “fish” for goodies in the artificial termite mounds.
Just love Sunday’s close up coverage of the apes eating and using sticks to find food…..
Keep up the great work…….
Distance shots show nothing……but just love the close ups of the faces…..
Thanks……
I am loving the ape cam alot more lately, today there are some perfect shots of the Siamangs who today are sticking together, its raining. Munching on some branches of something, but one of them looks like a long stem ROSE ! I enjoy some rose petals now and then, especially lavender colored ones dipped in suger ladies, and so wondering if you feed animals eatable flowers also? I even see the squirrels near home eat hibiscus flowers right off my bushes. Love the panda cam and the ape cam…thank you keepers, Merry Christmas to all us animals.
Moderator’s note: We do offer some of our animals hibiscus and cactus flowers.
Very sad to hear Jamani will be leaving at the beginning of the year. My cousin lives in NC. Jamani will curse you guys every winter. Brrr!
I forgot to ask in my previous post if Katie, the lowland gorilla who passed away this week at NC Zoo, was born at San Diego? I know she came from San Diego Zoo in 1989 but I did not know if she had been born at the zoo. I am sure there are a few old timers who can remember that far back. RIP Katie. They lost two gorillas to cancer in one week. So sad.
Moderator’s note: According to our records, Katie was born in the wild (our estimated date of birth for her is early 1973), and she came to us in 1984 from a private collector in England, where she had been since September of 1973. She moved to the North Carolina Zoo in 1989. We are sorry to learn of her passing.
To Grace #13:
It is Southern California. The Wild animal Park is Located less than 40 miles north of San Diego, but still more than 100 miles south of Los Angeles, which is 400 miles or so south of San Fransisco.
MEERY CHRISTMAS to all of the orangutans and siamangs; and to the keepers, vets, staff, too! Have a very nice day with family and friends!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Enjoyed seeing the large silverback on Monday, and the big guy at WAP on Saturday. They are HUGE!!
Glad to see the Oranguntans enjoying themselves on the ropes this morning. They are having a swinging party for sure. They were fun to interact with at the windows on Monday afternoon. One of them got tired of watching humans and wandered off around the corner to have some solitude in a nook in the rock wall.
Wow, that’s great! It’s a testamonial of the great care these animals get in zoos (or Wild Animal Parks… heh heh…) rather than all of the dangers they face in the wild. Great job, SDZ’s WAP!!
Hi, you all! At National Zoo in DC, Kibibi, the baby girl gorilla, has turned one year old on January 10! Yeah!! The gorilla keepers had a little birthday party for her, gave her some presents with treats in them, and just enjoyed the day with her mom, Mandara, and the rest of the gorilla family. DC had some very cold weather at that time, so the gorillas didn’t get to go outside much, so didn’t see them on their gorillacam.
How is the gorilla family doing at SDZ? Hope they are doing fine and staying dry with all this rain you all are having! I know that gorillas don’t like to get wet very much! Will check the ape cam sometime tomorrow. Stay dry you guys!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Hay #40 Chari, check out my comments in baby Frank blog, I saw a female and baby soaked the last time I was at SDZ. They were either saving the baby, or trying to fight to hold him, unknown. Thanks for info @ gorillacam
HAPPYBDAY!!!!!!!!!!VILLA YOU ARE SO CUTE AND DOES VILLA HAVE ANY DAUGHTERS?
Moderator’s note: Vila had one baby, daughter Alvila, who resides at the San Diego Zoo.
I just finished watching the video of Vila’s Birthday and a Very Happy Birthday to you and many more. Better late than never.
Anyway I have always loved Gorillas and I know they are not friendly but the ones that are at the zoo, are they friendly with the keepers even though I know the keepers only go in their habitat to clean when they are not out?
I love all animals big or small.
Moderator’s note: They do get comfortable with their keepers, a mutual respect
DO THE GORILLAS STAY OUTSIDE WHEN IT RAINS?
Peggy responds: If it is pouring outside, we give them access to a room or two. If it just a light rain, they have plenty of room to shelter in the alcoves. Most of the gorillas prefer not to be out in the rain. Often the youngsters will run out and play it in it. Sound familiar?
was vila born in the wild?
Moderator’s note: Yes, she was.
is vila still alive ?
Moderator’s note: Yes indeed! Her keepers report she is doing well.
is alvila still alive ?
Moderator’s note: Yes.
happy birthday
Is Vila the oldest gorilla in North America?
Moderator’s note: No, but she is right up there!
When will you post a blog adout Monroe?
I’ll be making a trip down to the San Diego Wild Animal Safari Park on March 21st, so I’m hoping that I can get to see this magnificent creature and to also get some photos of her! Actually, I’m hoping to get some decent photos of a lot of the animals down there! It will be my first time to visit there.
Moderator’s note: We look forward to your visit, JennieD!