After months with no male gorillas in their troop, the San Francisco Zoo is set to introduce a 26-year-old male silverback gorilla named Cecil on Saturday, with high hopes that baby gorillas may soon follow his arrival.  

There was great sadness, and a few uncomfortable questions, when the San Francisco Zoo’s last remaining male Oscar Jonesy suddenly died in February. The 43-year-old western lowland gorilla was under anesthesia when he passed, which is not normally considered a risk for gorilla fatality. Though right before this year’s July 4 weekend, we learned that the SF Zoo would be getting a new male gorilla, a 26-year-old male silverback western lowland gorilla named Cecil.

Cecil actually arrived at the zoo in early August, by way of the Louisville (Kentucky) Zoo, but the SF Zoo’s gorilla habitat has been closed to the public to give Cecil a chance to familiarize himself with the three resident females. That changes this weekend, as KTVU reports that Cecil will make his public debut Saturday when the gorilla habitat reopens to the public.

“​​Since his arrival from the Louisville Zoo in early August, 26-year-old male silverback gorilla Cecil, has been acclimating to his new home and getting to know his new family troop,” the zoo said in a Wednesday afternoon Facebook post. “We wanted to make sure he [and the females] Bawang, Kimani and Monifa, were given plenty of time - and at their own pace – for introductions, before opening up the Jones Family Gorilla Preserve to visitors. We thank you for your patience and support.”

We cannot gloss over concerns over Oscar Jonesy’s highly unusual death in February. He had shown no signs of fatal illness, and of course, this is the same San Francisco Zoo that a city report last year had described as “unsafe” for animals. Meanwhile, some of you will recall the 2014 death of 16-month old baby gorilla Kabibe when she was crushed by a hydraulic door.

And to put it lightly, it has not been a great year or so for the San Francisco Zoo.

The SF Zoo seems to realize they carry that baggage, even if they don’t admit it directly.

"We feel like this is a new day for the zoo. And Cecil is kinda the beginning of the new day for the zoo,” zoologist Robbie Graham told KGO. “So, we're really excited to see him get along with the females and hopefully we'll get some baby gorillas in the next few years.”

Wow, no pressure there! But we gladly join the zoo in applying that pressure, as we remember the joyful frenzy this town went into when that baby gorilla Kabibe was born here in 2013.

Related: SF Zoo’s Relentlessly Adorable Red Panda ‘Tenzing’ Has Died [SFist]

Image: San Francisco Zoo via Facebook

San Francisco and the SF Zoo’s gorilla preserve are mourning Thursday's death of 43-year-old Western Lowland gorilla Oscar Jonesy, who died unexpectedly following a medical procedure.

The San Francisco Zoo’s gorilla preserve has had local legend great ape Oscar Jonesy as its alpha male since 2004. Oscar was born July 31, 1981 at the Buffalo Zoo in New York, and made his way to the SF Zoo in 2004. In his time here, he fathered many gorilla young ‘uns, and captivated zoo visitors for more than 20 years. But the Chronicle has the news that Oscar Jonesy died Thursday, while recovering from anesthesia after some sort of medical procedure. He was 43.

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“Oscar was the third-oldest male of his species in any U.S. zoo, and I know many cared about him deeply. I know I did,” SF Zoo CEO and executive director Tanya Peterson said in an email to zoo supporters obtained by the Chronicle. “I have watched him resolve conflicts among his troops, witnessed his strength and tenderness, and have been humbled by his empathy and intelligence.”

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It has not been disclosed exactly what sort of medical procedure the Western Lowland gorilla was undergoing. But the procedure was considered successful at the time, and Oscar simply became unresponsive while coming out of anesthesia.  

“Oscar’s procedure originally went well,” the zoo’s chief veterinarian Dr. Adrian Mutlow told KGO. “But despite showing initial signs of recovery, he suddenly became unresponsive and stopped breathing. We responded immediately but even with the assistance of critical care specialists from Stanford, we were unable to revive him.”

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The exact cause of death is still unknown. The UC Davis Veterinary School is expected to perform a necropsy on him Saturday.

But we can frankly expect some questions are going to be asked of the zoo, considering recent audits that described the facility as “unsafe” for animals. Many will recall the 2014 death of Oscar’s daughter Kabine when that 16-month-old baby gorilla was crushed to death by a hydraulic door. That incident had zoo staff and management openly trading barbs about who was at fault. The US Department of Agriculture fined the zoo $1,750 for the incident, a dollar amount that animal rights advocates considered ridiculously low.

There will certainly be a time for those recriminations, if the recriminations should be merited. For now, Oscar is survived by three females in his troop: Bawang, Monifa and Kimani. The zoo’s vice president of animal care Dominick Dorsa told KRON4 that those females would be monitored “as they go through a mourning period.”

Related: Cherished 39-Year-Old Western Lowland Gorilla Dies at SF Zoo [SFist]

Image: San Francisco Zoo via Facebook

Zola delights in water. Set to music, he's dancing up a storm. According to the Calgary Zoo's YouTube page: "Zola, nine-years old, is one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan. He loves to play in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis."

You know the baby gorilla born at SF Zoo? The one whose biological mother abandoned it? Well, SF Zoo needs you help naming the tyke.

According to reports, "the contest runs from February 12 through March 5 and is open to children five years and older and to adults." The baby gorilla's name, however will not be picked by zoo officials; instead, "the animal's father, Oscar Jonesy, a dominant silverback gorilla, will get the final say." (The hell?) Judges will choose five names, "each attached to sticks of bamboo." The first stick Jonesy touches will be the winning name. So, you know, it chance will have a lot to do with it.

The winner will receive a zoo family membership "for the zoo closest to the winner's place of residency," a large gorilla stuffed animal, a framed photo of the infant gorilla with a footprint, a thirty minute Q&A with a gorilla keeper (either in person, via phone or internet depending on location of winner), and a gorgeous, black-market gorilla pelt. (Har.)

Oh, and we think "Bean" is a perfect name. "Bean" for the win!

You can enter to win at SFZoo.org.

Good news! One, we images of baby gorilla boy, who is still unnamed, that will have you squee-ing until Monday. (Really, a little baby gorilla with a stuffed gorilla is quite impressive. The above shot alone could resurrect Dian Fossey.) Two, the baby and his surrogate mother are "adapting" to each other.

Sniff, sob.