Our Gorilla Kingdom brings the African rainforest to the heart of London. You’ll be able to meet Africa’s most exciting residents, featuring our troop of western lowland gorillas. This is one encounter you’ll be sure to remember.
When you step into their habitat you can first explore our African aviary, home to a breeding pair of pink pigeons, which are down to just 400 individuals left in the wild. Our Gorilla Kingdom provides clear views of their specially designed private island and indoor gymnasium, where you can get to know each member of our gorilla family.
This year we've welcomed not just one, but two new arrivals to our troop! Mums Mjukuu and Effie are both busy looking after their infants who are yet to be named and sexed although will be soon. Look out for them on your next visit.
Gorilla facts
Western lowland gorilla
Gorillas are the world's largest primate, weighing up to 200kg. They share 98.4% of their DNA with humans, and all four subspecies of gorilla subspecies are critically endangered.
Kiburi
Kiburi is a relaxed and confident young silverback gorilla, born in 2004 at Hannover Zoo. He loves foraging and finding the perfect stick to extricate yoghurt from his feeder. Kiburi weighs a massive 192kg, and is the latest arrival to the group, having arrived at the Zoo in 2022.
Effie
Effie is our most playful and cheeky female, she was born in 1993 at Copenhagen Zoo, and is well-known in the Zoo for her huge appetite. She arrived with us in 2007, and her favourite thing to do is chase pigeons. Effie loves her food, and will eat everyone else's if she gets the chance! Effie is a new mum - her baby arrived in February 2024. Keep your eyes peeled to see little on in her arms as she moves around.
Mjukuu
Nicknamed 'Jookie', Mjukuu (Ma-joo-koo) was born in 1999 at Chessington Zoo, she arrived in London in 2008 and is now our dominant female. As the dominant female, she takes the larger share of any food. Mjukuu gave birth to Alika in 2014 and become a surrogate mother to her son Gernot in 2015. Just this year, she welcomed yet another new arrival - we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet but make sure you keep eyes peeled for the fuzzy little one on your next visit!
Gernot
Gernot may be a 'mummy's boy' now, but one day he hopes to be a big silverback just like his Dad. He was born in 2015 and raised by Mjukuu, but his biological parents are Effie and Kumbuka. Gernot can be very playful and he enjoys rolling about all over the place.
Alika
Alika can often be seen walking and climbing around her enclosure, but always stays close by to mum Mjukuu. She's the older sister of Gernot, and was born a year earlier in 2014, to the same father, Kumbuka.
