Western lowland gorilla · No. 19 of 22
San Antonio Ends A 35-Year Drought
Three gorillas from Dallas open a two-acre habitat.
The Deal
The Grades
San Antonio
Brought gorillas back to a market that had gone without for 35 years, into a habitat built for them.
Dallas
Cleared a bachelor group and restocked within months from Riverbanks. Fast turnaround at the position.
The Breakdown
San Antonio had not had gorillas in 35 years. It built a two-acre habitat, Congo Falls, as part of a roughly $100 million project, and filled it with an intact bachelor troop from Dallas.
Dallas threw a public farewell party before they left. A fourth gorilla, Zola, was part of the original plan but did not complete the move and later died in Dallas, which is the sort of thing that happens in this sport and rarely makes the highlight package.
Dallas then restocked within months, acquiring Moyo and ZaKota from Riverbanks in March 2026. Those two were the first gorillas ever born at Riverbanks, and their keepers spent two years preparing them for the move, training each on more than 30 voluntary medical behaviors before they shipped.
