A baby Western Lowland Gorilla born at the United Kingdom’s
Twycross Zoo on January 3 adds a third generation to their already close-knit Gorilla
group.
The mother, Ozala, experienced a natural and stress-free
birth and is keeping the new arrival very close to her. Curator of Living Collections Charlotte
Macdonald said, "Ozala is a confident, attentive mother and is taking
great care of her baby. The baby's
father, our silverback Oumbie, is gentle but protective and is showing a lot of
interest in the infant. On the day of the baby's birth he was very inquisitive,
sitting beside Ozala and putting his face right up to the baby to smell it.”
Photo credits: Gillian Day taken at Twycross Zoo
Ozala was born at Twycross Zoo in 1994. The newborn joins a family
unit made up of father Oumbi and grandmother, Biddi. Ozala's half-sister Asante
will also provide a helping hand as the young Gorilla grows up.
Charlotte added: "The baby will be carried around by
mum for the next couple of years but will, of course, gradually become more
independent, just going back to Ozala for reassurance and comfort.”
Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, fewer than
100,000 Western Lowland Gorillas remain in the wild, bringing the species
dangerously close to extinction. Hunting, habitat loss and the Ebola virus have
contributed to the species’ decline.
Zoological Director Sharon Redrobe added:
"Because the Western Lowland Gorilla is such an endangered species every Gorilla
birth is important, and this infant represents another vital contribution to
the European Endangered Species breeding programme and to the conservation of
this species.”
See more photos below the fold.
