According to keepers, Akati is proving to be an excellent mother.  “She is exceptionally protective of Ajua,” said Associate Curator of Mammals Michelle Seldon.  “The rest of the troop is excited and curious about the baby, but Akati is very selective about which members may come near or touch him.”

Ajua can be spotted clinging to his mother as she carries him around the Great Apes of Harambee habitat.  Visitors can catch the duo swinging on ropes and climbing trees outdoors on sunny days and in the habitat’s spacious dayrooms during inclement weather. 

The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is an endangered species, threatened by habitat loss and hunting for bushmeat.  Ajua’s birth is the result of a recommendation of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a cooperative population management and conservation program for selected species.  Ajua is the first chimpanzee to be born at the Detroit Zoo in 13 years. 

The Great Apes of Harambee is a four-acre habitat which houses 11 chimpanzees, three Western lowland gorillas, two mandrills and a Diana monkey.  The animals spend their days foraging, grooming and playing just as they would in their native African environment.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 
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