Researchers Hope Third Time’s A Charm For Ivan

Zoo Atlanta’s most eligible bachelor, Ivan the gorilla, has a new female friend and researchers are hopeful this third try at matchmaking is a charm.

Shamba met Ivan for the first time Monday in a “howdy cage” that allows visual and vocal contact but separates the gorillas by wire mesh.

“I think this is a really good pairing,” said Zoo Atlanta researcher Kyle Burkes. “The females Ivan was with before … tended to be more assertive than Ivan was comfortable with. And Shamba is non-confrontational. The combination with her personality and his is going to very good for both of them.”

The gorillas will stay in the cage for as long as two weeks. If all goes well, they will be moved to another room for closer contact, then go to an outdoor habitat before being put on public display.

Ivan, 32, spent 27 years caged in a shopping mall in Tacoma and is less dominant than other male gorillas his age. Introductions last year to Kuchi and Molly both ended badly. Molly and Kuchi slapped, chased and screamed at Ivan, leaving the gorilla befuddled by their aggressiveness, researchers said.

“Shamba had been flirting with Ivan for a long time,” said Burkes. “I don’t think he’s going to scare her off. We just want them to start living together and sort of let time run its course and we’ll see what happens. That’s all you can really do with gorillas.”

“There was a little bit of displaying,” said Zoo Atlanta spokeswoman Carol Flammer. “It was really pretty quiet and calm and they settled down and went to eating.”

Shamba came to Zoo Atlanta in 1988 and has given birth to several baby gorillas, Burkes said.

But zoo officials said even if the two get along well, it could be months before they mate.