Gorilla Brothers Leaving Riverbanks Zoo for Dallas

Two young male gorillas will join a bachelor troop at the Dallas Zoo as part of a national conservation program.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Two gorilla brothers, Moyo and Zakota, who were the first gorillas ever born at Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina, are set to move to the Dallas Zoo as part of a national conservation program that coordinates animal placements among institutions. The move will allow the young male gorillas to form a bachelor troop, which replicates their natural social structure in the wild.

Why it matters

The relocation of the gorilla brothers reflects best practices in zoo animal management, where young male gorillas are encouraged to leave their natal groups and join all-male troops to mature and develop natural social behaviors. This move supports the overall conservation efforts for the species.

The details

Moyo and Zakota, who were born at Riverbanks Zoo in 2018, will be paired with two other male gorillas in Dallas to form a bachelor troop. Ryan Jones, the gorilla and small mammal supervisor at Riverbanks Zoo, said the move mirrors the natural behavior of young male gorillas in the wild, who often leave their families to join all-male groups. The process of coordinating the move has been a multi-year effort between the zoos to ensure the gorillas' well-being.

  • Moyo and Zakota were born at Riverbanks Zoo in 2018, making history as the first gorillas ever born at the zoo.
  • The gorilla brothers are set to move to the Dallas Zoo in the coming weeks.

The players

Moyo and Zakota

Two young male gorilla brothers who were born at Riverbanks Zoo in 2018, and are now set to move to the Dallas Zoo.

Riverbanks Zoo

A zoo located in Columbia, South Carolina, where Moyo and Zakota were born and have lived.

Dallas Zoo

The zoo in Dallas, Texas, where Moyo and Zakota will be relocated to join a bachelor troop of male gorillas.

Ryan Jones

The gorilla and small mammal supervisor at Riverbanks Zoo, who oversees the care and management of the gorillas.

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What they’re saying

“It's very natural for gorillas, especially young males, to go off and leave their parents. They do this very naturally in the wild, and often go and form bachelor groups, which is all-male groups, because it is safer and it's more comfortable to live with other gorillas.”

— Ryan Jones, Gorilla and Small Mammal Supervisor, Riverbanks Zoo (wrdw.com)

“This is a multi-year process, and they meet consistently and work with the zoos to plan that out to make sure there's somewhere for them to go. And that's identifying where and when much, much further ahead of time.”

— Ryan Jones, Gorilla and Small Mammal Supervisor, Riverbanks Zoo (wrdw.com)

What’s next

Visitors to Riverbanks Zoo can see Moyo and Zakota before they depart for the Dallas Zoo in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The relocation of the young male gorilla brothers from Riverbanks Zoo to the Dallas Zoo is an example of how zoos collaborate to support the natural social development and conservation of gorillas, a critically endangered species.