Endangered gorilla gives birth to adorable baby at Bristol Zoo
24 August 2020, 18:16
Bristol Zoo welcomed a new arrival recently and the park is overjoyed.
A critically endangered gorilla has just given birth to a cute baby at Bristol Zoo last week.
Kala, a nine-year-old western lowland gorilla gave birth last Wednesday at the park with the baby's father, Jock, nearby.
The Zookeepers reported that they arrived at the Zoo's Gorilla House in the morning to find Kala had given birth naturally and was sat cradling her newborn.
Curator of mammals at Bristol Zoo, Lynsey Bugg has stated: "We are all thrilled.
"There is something very special about seeing a new-born baby gorilla, they are such an iconic and charismatic species."
She told Sky News: "We knew we were having a baby gorilla due and we've been on baby watch for a little while.
"On Tuesday Kala looked nice and comfortable and not causing us any concerns or worries. I came in yesterday morning to find a brand new baby in the house. It was lovely.
"Last year she did have a pregnancy and birth but it didn't go as planned and unfortunately the baby didn't survive.
"We were a bit on tenterhooks this time round and it is so lovely that she was able to give birth naturally and baby and mum are really well."
Lynsey added: "She is being very attentive and taking good care of her baby. It's very early days but we are cautiously optimistic. The early signs are good and the baby looks to be a good size and is strong."
It will be sometime before the zoo will be able to determine if the new arrival is a boy or girl, Lynsey explained: "They are not all that easy to sex and we want to have a few looks before we are certain."
The new gorilla is now part of group of six at the zoo, which are all part of a breeding programme to help ensure the species doesn't die out.
Western lowland gorillas are on the 'critically endangered list', with some estimates that there are as few as 100,000 left in the wild.
