Little Joe the gorilla has led a storied life at the Franklin Park Zoo. He gained national attention back in 2003 when he escaped, and was found sitting at a Blue Hill Avenue bus stop.
But soon he will be leaving Franklin Park Zoo for good, but not of his own volition.
The 33-year-old western lowland gorilla was selected to be part of a breeding program at an unnamed zoo. He was selected because of his genetics, and his temperament, which suggests he’d be a good fit for the troop at his new home.
“Anyone who has watched him play with Pablo knows Little Joe has always been very accepting and gentle with offspring that are not his own,” said a Franklin Park Zoo Facebook post.
This week is school vacation week in Boston, and Little Joe will still be at the zoo for people to come and say goodbye.
And while Little Joe is moving on, there will also be three new male gorillas coming to Franklin Park Zoo in the coming weeks and months. Two young males — Moke from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and a young gorilla from another AZA-accredited zoo — will soon move to Franklin Park Zoo to form a “separate bachelor troop” with Pablo.
Later this year, a new silverback will be introduced to lead the troop of Kiki, Kambiri and Aziza.
