Fort Worth Zoo announces birth of western lowland gorilla baby
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – The Fort Worth Zoo has announced its second-ever birth of a western lowland gorilla. The male primate was born early Sunday morning, Nov. 6, to parents Gracie and Elmo.
The yet-to-be-named ape is staying close to his mother as he meets other troop members and gets acclimated to his surroundings in the Zoo's World of Primates habitat. The pair continues to bond but are also fully integrated into the troop, mimicking family dynamics in the wild.
Zoo officials said visitors can see him in both indoor or outdoor areas of the habitat at various times during the day, which will be dictated by weather conditions and his activity level.
Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to hunting and disease. Gorillas also have an alarmingly low reproductive rate, so even if there was a drastic decline in hunting and disease, it could take decades for population recovery to occur in optimistic scenarios. The zoo participates in a cooperative breeding program for gorillas that maintains a healthy, self-sustaining population of the vulnerable species to help prevent their extinction.
You can come see the little fella for half-price admission on Nov. 19 during the zoo's 30th Anniversary Festival.