Gorilla Mom Whose Firstborn Was Taken From Her One Year Back Cradles Month-Old Baby

Oct 23, 2020 by apost team

New babies are truly a gift. When a critically endangered animal becomes pregnant it is cause for celebration. Upon birth, that anticipation turns into pure joy.

The ability to rehabilitate and protect these animals to the point that they can then reproduce takes tremendous effort and calls for commemoration. At Bristol Zoo in the United Kingdom, a Western Lowland Gorilla that is a critically endangered species gave birth to an awe-inspiring baby in August 2020.

Early one morning, zookeepers arrived at the Gorilla House in Bristol Zoo to discover 9-year-old Kala had given birth to a sweet baby gorilla. Giving birth in the early hours of the morning, the baby gorilla's dad, Jock, stayed by Kala's side as she brought a new life into this world.

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When zookeepers found her, Kala was cradling her newborn, likely taking in the lovely hours that ensue after giving birth. The curator of mammals at Bristol Zoo, Lynsey Bugg, displayed her thrill and excitement about this iconic moment telling Sky News the connection between mom and baby is "charismatic."

Zookeepers at Bristol Zoo had known that Kala was due and were keeping an eye on her for days ahead of the baby gorilla's arrival. Yet they were shocked when they walked in to find a brand-new baby gorilla early one Wednesday morning.

Just the day before, Kala was acting as normal and gave the staff no reason to think the birth would be so close. After a previous pregnancy and birth that did not result in a live baby, staffers were keeping a close eye on Kala and continued to do so in the days after her most recent birth experience.

After such an astounding, private birth, employees at the zoo are keeping a close eye on Kala and her baby. Citing it as a relief that the mom was able to do so well in giving birth on her own without intervention, Bristol Zoo staff hope it continues to go well.

Appearing healthy and of normal size, zookeepers say they will wait a bit before attempting to determine the gender of the baby gorilla. Doing so would just cause unnecessary stress on mom and baby.

Oftentimes, the goal that protective agencies have for species that are critically endangered is to rehabilitate and keep the remaining population healthy, as well as expand upon the decreasing numbers of the species. This new baby gorilla is one of just seven Western Lowland Gorillas at Bristol Zoo and was conceived through a breeding program to ensure the continuation of the species.

It is estimated that there are only between 90-110,000 of this breed left in the wild, so Bristol Zoo understands the challenge it is up against in keeping these gorillas healthy and safe. It is always heartwarming to see humans interacting with wild animals in a way that will help them thrive. Protecting our endangered species is critical to the maintenance of biodiversity. We wish the best for Kala, Jock, and their newest addition and hope you enjoyed this story.

Let your friends know about the concerning decrease in the population of Western Lowland Gorillas. Tell us what you think about this story and the efforts of Bristol Zoo below.