Infant Gorilla at Audubon Zoo Dies Shortly after Being Born
Incident Date:
01/24/2026
Location:
New Orleans, LA - USA
Facility Name:
Audubon Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Primates
Animal:
Gorilla
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
NEW ORLEANS, LA – A baby gorilla died shortly after being born at the Audubon Zoo. This was the second infant for 18-year-old mother Tunami, a critically endangered western lowland gorilla, and 31-year-old father Okpara, a silverback gorilla. The pair’s first infant died in 2020 due to an unexpected medical condition with Tumani.
Audubon’s veterinarians will conduct additional exams to determine the cause of death.
Action take by Born Free USA:
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