Federal judge orders gorilla's return to Cincinnati Zoo
CINCINNATI (AP) — A federal judge has again ordered a California group to return a male silverback gorilla to the Ohio zoo where he was born.
U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg ruled Friday in San Francisco that northern California's Gorilla Foundation must transfer 37-year-old Ndume (nnn-DOO'-may) to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Thursday.
Zoo officials sought to bring Ndume home after Koko, the gorilla famed for learning sign language, died last June and left Ndume by himself. He was loaned to the foundation in 1991 to be Koko's companion with the proviso he'd return to Cincinnati after her death.
The foundation argued as late as this week the transfer would harm Ndume. Zoo officials, animal rights groups and, most importantly, Seeborg disagreed.
Messages seeking comment were left Saturday with the foundation.