Exciting news from the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, Michigan!
A baby gorilla was born on Thursday, marking the first gorilla birth in the zoo’s 96-year history.
The proud mother, Bandia, had a smooth pregnancy, ensuring a positive start for this first-time mom, according to Tami Brightrall, the zoo’s associate curator of mammals.
The newborn baby gorilla, whose gender is yet to be determined, joins four other gorillas at the zoo, including Bandia and father Mshindi, who all arrived at the zoo a year ago.
Staff at the zoo have been diligently preparing for this moment for months, even using a stuffed gorilla to demonstrate to the gorillas how to care for the baby, as mentioned by Brightrall.
The public will have to wait a bit before getting a glimpse of the newest addition to the gorilla troop.
According to Melissa Thueme, a mammal supervisor, “The area will reopen once the animal care team determines mom and baby have had enough time to bond and become comfortable in their habitat.”
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