Mogo Zoo's new male western lowland gorilla Kisane is settling in, having finished his 30-day quarantine period.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The next step for the black-back is to meet female gorillas Kriba and Kepenzi - but not yet, says Mogo Zoo director Sally Padey.
It would also be some time before he could be on public display.
"It's been 30 days since he got here. He was signed out yesterday by Australian Quarantine and moved down to the new gorilla facility," she said.
"(The female gorillas) can see him and they're very active, coming in and displaying.
"They won't be in together for a little while."
Kisane joined the zoo as part of the European Endangered Species Program for the western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species.
READ MORE: Kisane is Mogo Zoo's new black-back gorilla
She said he had "come out very nicely" out of quarantine, having been cared for all day and every day since his arrival.
The zoo keepers had played documentaries to Kisane during the quarantine period.
"He's had all sorts of entertainment," she said. "He's been watching David Attenborough and all sorts of things.
"You've got a highly intelligent animal ... it's nothing like (you've) ever experienced."
She said he was a "magnificent" animal, very cheeky and loved eating everything.
"You look at him and your heat just melts," she said.
"He's pretty good at eating everything. I was watching him eat a whole sweet potato ... he loves his corn and loves his porridge."
Ms Padey said she looked forward to watching Kisane silver up. At 12 years old, silver hairs were already starting to show.
"Over the next few years everyone's going to be able to see him turn from a black-back to a silver-back," she said.
"It's not very often you get to see them grow up."
She said Kisane's keeper would arrive soon from the United Kingdom.
Kisane arrived from Howletts Zoo in the United Kingdom at the start of May.
He was picked to join the zoo based on his genetics matching one or more of the three female gorillas at the zoo.
