New gorilla debuts at Hogle Zoo

SALT LAKE CITY — Hogle Zoo's newest resident is tall, dark and handsome — an 18-year-old, 5-foot-8, 340-pound western lowland gorilla named Husani.

The silverback from the Gulf Breeze Zoo in Pensacola, Fla., made his official debut at Hogle Zoo on Thursday. And if Husani and Tino, Hogle Zoo's 37-year-old male gorilla, can cohabitate, the zoo will be only the second in the nation to successfully have two adult male silverbacks live together.

"We're going to completely play off how well the boys are doing," said Bobbi Gordon, the zoo's ape keeper, describing the slow and structured process. "We don't want to force it too soon. It could be a month; it could be a few years.

"Their personalities are pretty compatible. Husani is pretty mellow and laid back," Gordon said.

So far, the bachelors are adjusting well to their new roommate situation. Tino prefers to be near Husani and only wanted to play in the indoor enclosure Thursday where he could see his new friend. The two have been observing each other in separate enclosures through a clear door, displaying a bit of bravado.

When they saw each other Thursday morning, the gorillas ran back and forth in front of the clear door, banging on the glass. Those are intimidation methods, zookeepers explained.

"In the wild, you wouldn't see a physical fight, just a lot of show," Gordon said. "Who beats their chest the hardest, throws the farthest — it's like the Highland Games."

Husani is a sweet ape, sharing his food with the keepers. He loves people-watching, especially seeing kids in strollers. His favorite thing to do is wrap a cardboard box around his body and carry it around like a portable fort.

Senior gorilla keeper Erin Jones spent about three days with Husani in the Birmingham Zoo in Alabama to ease his transition.

"He has never been this close with people," Jones said, since the southern zoo has a large moat separating the guests from the apes.

Husani is Tino's first companion since 44-year-old female Muke died in March after a battle with cancer.

Tino grieved for two weeks after Muke's death, often making a location call in search of her. So keepers increased his social contact.

"He would come over and solicit play and want to play for hours, Jones said, "so it was great to see him act like himself again."