Harambe was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas on May 27, 1999. He was named by Dan Van Coppenolle after the 1988 Shanachie song “Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)” by Rita Marley. Harambee is a Swahili term for communal labour.
On September 18, 2014, Harambe was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to learn adult gorilla behavior and join a new social group.
The Death of Harambe 