Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is inviting guests to help name Asha’s gorilla baby while fundraising for the new Primate World! Asha, a 32-year-old critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, gave birth to an adorable baby boy on Mon., July 21, 2025. It had been nearly 13 years since a gorilla was born at CMZoo.
A $5 minimum donation is required to participate in the vote, and every donation supports a brand-new home for gorillas, orangutans and more! In addition to helping make history by naming this little one, every dollar raised will fund historic improvements to great ape habitats at CMZoo.
“We’re so excited for this little guy to finally have a name,” says Ashton Asbury, Primate World animal keeper. “It’s so great that our guests have fallen head over heels for him and now get to be part of his story while also supporting a great cause.”
Participants can donate any amount starting at $5 until Thurs., Oct. 9, 2025. The name that receives the most combined donations will win! Fans can make their donations and vote at cmzoo.org/babyname.
Primate World gorilla keepers have chosen three names for guests to pick from: Ryder, Sully and Abu.
Ryder — a nod to this baby’s particular skill at riding on his mom’s back from a younger-than-normal age
Sully — in honor of a bright-and-furry character with a heart of gold
Abu — because he’s skilled and loyal, just like a furry friend from the fictional city of Agrabah
A generous donor has agreed to match all donations up to $25,000, so every dollar can make twice the impact. CMZoo is a nonprofit. It is one of very few zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in the country that does not receive tax support. Zoo improvements depend on admissions, programs and generous donations.
“We’re so excited for our community to get involved in naming this adorable baby and in helping provide a new home for his whole family, “ Kelley Parker, senior director of development and marketing at CMZoo, says. “Every dollar donated will not only be matched dollar-for-dollar, it will also go directly toward our fundraising efforts for a spectacular new primate habitat. We love that our entire community — here in Colorado Springs and around the world — can be part of creating something incredible.”
The winning name will be announced at cmzoo.org/babyname, via an email to Zoo members and subscribers and on the Zoo’s social channels on Wed., Oct. 15.
Happy voting — and thank you for supporting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, and their numbers continue to decline. Gorilla fans can help preserve wild gorilla habitats by recycling small electronic devices and cell phones at CMZoo.
In addition to disease and poaching, gorillas face habitat loss due to logging for agricultural use, human settlements and mining. Many of the West African lowland forests and swamps that these animals call home are also natural deposits of coltan, a mineral used in cell phones and other electronics. Due to the ever-increasing demand for cell phones across the world, the destruction of these gorillas’ habitats for mining purposes has unfortunately increased.
Coltan is recyclable, and by donating old cell phones, we can help supply valuable coltan for future phone production. Guests can bring electronics to CMZoo admissions or Primate World, where there’s a recycling collection bin near the gorillas’ indoor dens. CMZoo will send them to Eco-Cell, an organization that recycles the phones, as well as tablets, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, GPS devices, e-readers, digital cameras, handheld gaming systems and their accessories.
About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for to fund animal care, conservation, Zoo operations and improvements.