We’ve got some fun news for ya to start off your week, Atlanta! Zoo Atlanta’s beloved senior gorilla, Machi, is turning 50 this month, and you can wish her a happy birthday! Keep scrolling to learn all about Machi and how you can pay her a visit at the zoo!
How did Machi get her name?
Machi is actually named after her birth month! Her name, Machi, literally means “March” in Swahili.
Zoo Atlanta says, in an Instagram post announcing her birthday,
It could also be said that she is a member of Zoo Atlanta royalty – her mother, Choomba, was a founding member of the gorilla population here at the Zoo, and Machi is the mother of Willie B. Jr. – making her the grandmother of Willie B. III!
How old is Machi turning?
Machi is celebrating her 50th birthday with her friend and habitat-mate, Kuchi (who is 41).
Gorillas are considered geriatric at the age of 40, and therefore, their habitat has features specially designed for senior gorillas.
How did Machi celebrate her birthday?
Machi and Kuchi enjoyed a delicious (and adorable) celebratory frozen fruit “cake” along with other enrichment activities.
If you want to pay a visit to the gorillas at Zoo Atlanta, you can snag your tickets not their website, here!
And if you’d like to see the gorillas without actually making a trip to the zoo, you can watch on the Gorilla Cam on Zoo Atlanta’s website. (But we’ve gotta say… nothing beats being there in person!)
Happy birthday, Machi! We hope you have a wonderful March, and a happy 50th!