Introducing ‘Okabe’

We are excited to announce that our #WICZGorillaBaby has been named ‘Okabe’!

In Nigeria, our partners at the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) are working to help save and protect the Cross River gorilla, one of two subspecies of Critically Endangered western gorillas – the other being western lowland gorillas like Okabe. With a shared goal of helping western gorillas survive and thrive, we reached out to the NCF to ask them to help us find a name that pays homage to the species, the people and the culture where western gorillas are found.

The name ‘Okabe’ (pronounced oh-KAH-beh) means ‘to think’. It is derived from the Boyki language, which has a number of regional dialects and is an important Bendi language spoken by the Boyki people of the northern Cross River State, Nigeria.

Gorilla infant ‘Okabe’