Great Apes habitat is now a swinging bachelor pad!

Next time you go to the zoo, be sure to say hello to two wild and crazy guys! Charlie and Curtis are now the only Western lowlands gorillas of Great Apes at the Denver Zoo, making their habitat the ultimate bachelor pad. 

At the recommendation of the Association of Zoos (AZA) and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), Denver Zoo's family gorilla troop—Jim, 31, Tinga, 14, and Whimsie, 3—have moved to the Jacksonville Zoo. There, they will join a female gorilla in hopes that the family will grow. 

"Our resident bachelors—Charlie, 23, and Curtis, 24—will remain at Denver Zoo for the foreseeable future. Having one troop in Great Apes rather than two will allow our animal care team to better train the gorillas to participate in their own medical care," the zoo said in a statement. 

According to the zoo, the Western lowland gorilla is critically endangered in the wild, thanks to threats from logging, agriculture, and poaching in their native lands of Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Congo. There is believed to be only about 112,000 western lowland gorillas, and the number is declining. 

The Denver Zoo is a long-time participant in the AZA's species survival plans, which helps ensure the survival of endangered and threatened species across the world. 

"For nearly 50 years, we’ve provided an exceptional home for numerous gorillas and supported the critically endangered species by participating in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP)—an important insurance policy that ensures a healthy, genetically diverse population of gorillas in human care as wild populations decline in the face of mounting threats," said the zoo. 

You can visit Charlie and Curtis anytime the zoo is open. The Denver Zoo provides one of the most expansive great ape habitats in the world. 

What is your favorite habitat at the zoo? Let us know in the comments!