00:00A new silverback has taken charge of a British zoo's western lowland pack
00:05following the death of the UK's oldest gorilla.
00:09Nakumu's arrived at Bristol Zoo Project to lead the zoo's troop of six western lowland gorillas.
00:15As a silverback, Nakumu will become the troop's main peacekeeper and protector,
00:20helping maintain stability within the family group.
00:24Nakumu succeeds Jock, the much-loved silverback who died earlier this year, aged 42.
00:30Jock was the oldest male gorilla in the UK and led Bristol's gorilla troop for more than two decades.
00:37The move from Port Lim Hotel and Reserve in Kent is part of a conservation breeding programme
00:42to help safeguard the future of western lowland gorillas.
00:46Transporting a 180-kilo silverback gorilla from Kent to his new home at Bristol Zoo Project
00:52required months of careful planning.
00:55Over the coming months, Nakumu will gradually be introduced to the zoo's troop
01:00through a carefully managed process overseen by animal keepers and welfare experts.
01:06Western lowland gorillas live in close-knit family groups with complex social relationships,
01:12meaning introductions can take weeks or months as new bonds and relationships are established.
01:17The name Nakumu comes from a central African word which means leader.
01:22The troop comprises three adult females, Tooni, Kira and Carla,
01:28adolescent female Ayana and juvenile males Juni and Hassani.
01:33Brian Zimmerman, Director of Conservation and Science at British Zoological Society,
01:38said Nakumu's arrival is significant not only for Bristol Zoo Project,
01:43but for the future of a species under threat in the wild.
01:47Conservation breeding programmes play an important role
01:50in maintaining healthy populations for future generations.
01:55At the same time, the gorilla troop and their habitat at Bristol Zoo Project
01:59connect visitors to the landscape of Equatorial Guinea,
02:02where one of the largest field conservation projects by the Zoo Project is run.
02:09There, they work alongside local communities to help people and wildlife,
02:13including western lowland gorillas, coexist and thrive.
02:16Brian said,
02:17we're looking forward to watching Nakumu settle into his new home,
02:20develop relationships with the troop and establish his place within the group.
02:25British Zoological Societies cared for gorillas for nearly 90 years
02:30from much-loved favourites like Alfred and Jock
02:32to today's troop at Bristol Zoo Project.
02:36The site's African Forest Habitat opened earlier this year.
02:41The gorilla troop remained at Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton
02:44after the site's closure in 2022,
02:47being cared for by keepers until their new habitat was complete.
02:51The African Forest Area allows visitors to witness interactions
02:55between species that share the same habitats in the wild.
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