- [Narrator] This is a story of boy meets girl
and the algorithm that brought them true love.
(upbeat music)
(piano music)
The boy, Baraka, from Washington D.C.
is gentle, laid back and attentive.
The girl, Calaya, from Seattle
is assertive, creative and persistent.
While their initial encounter was love at first sight,
this match was no accident.
The union of Baraka and Calaya
was planned in exacting detail.
- Baraka and Calaya are a perfect match.
Our algorithm predicted it.
The Gorilla Species Survival Plan is responsible
for managing the demographic, genetic,
and overall population features
of the gorillas living in North American Zoos.
One could say we function like a high-tech,
heartfelt dating site for gorillas
but without all the swiping.
The algorithm we use, was created in the late '80s,
which is several years before it's human counterpart.
We used data points on genetics and relatedness
and combined that with what we know
about gorilla personality and individual needs.
We combine all that information
to make the best decisions for pairings.
- [Narrator] Like any modern couple,
Baraka and Calaya matched on a dating site,
fell in love, and moved in together
with Calaya making the cross country trip to D.C.
After two years together,
Baraka and Calaya knew it was time to start a family.
- Western Lowland gorillas
are a critically endangered species.
Our goal is to try to identify the right male gorillas
and the right female gorillas that will come together
to create baby gorillas, so that our population
will carry on for a very long time.
These creatures are extraordinary.
Humans and gorillas share about 98 percent of the same DNA.
We are similar in so many ways.
Can gorillas experience love the same way humans do?
We're not sure but why not give them the best shot.
- [Narrator] At 6:25 p.m., on April 15th, 2018,
Baraka and Calaya's son Moke, was born.
The algorithm worked.
Moke will one day also be a part
of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan,
waiting for his chance to find true love.