Willie B. (C. 1957 - February 2, 2000) was a

western lowland gorilla The western lowland gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') that lives in montane, primary and secondary forest and lowland swampland in central Af ...

who lived at the Zoo of Atlanta for 39 years, from 1961 until his death on February 2, 2000. He was named after the former mayor of Atlanta, William Berry Hartsfield. Willie B. was kept in isolation for 27 years with only a

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and a tire swing to keep him company. In 1988, he was moved to an outside exhibit and allowed to socialize and raise a family. He then embraced his role as silverback and leader of a troop. Willie B. was the second Gorilla known by that name at the Atlanta Zoo. The previous Willie B had died at the age of 3 shortly before the better-known successor was purchased. Both Willie B's had been purchased from international gorilla hunter Dr. Deets Pickett of Kansas City. The second Willie B. cost $5,500 to obtain for the zoo. Willie B. fathered five offspring at Zoo Atlanta: Kudzoo, Olympia, Sukari, Kidogo, and Lulu. When he died at the age of 41, he was the oldest gorilla in the United States to have fathered offspring. Kidogo, the only male offspring, took on the name Willie B., Jr. after his father died, taking his place as the heir. More than 5,000 people attended the memorial ceremony held in his honor, and the zoo now has a life-size bronze statue of him on permanent display outside the Gorilla habitat. His remains were cremated and 80 percent of his remains were kept in a bronze box in the bronze statue at Zoo Atlanta and the other 20 percent were flown back to the African jungle. The Atlanta Silverbacks FC soccer team was named in his honor.

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{{Coord, 33.73185, -84.37057, region:US-GA_type:landmark, display=title Individual gorillas Tourist attractions in Atlanta 1961 animal births 2000 animal deaths Individual animals in the United States Atlanta Silverbacks

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