There’s a new gorilla in our midst
ZOOKEEPERS are celebrating after the birth of a Western lowland gorilla.
The baby, which has not yet been named, was born early yesterday to mother Touni and father Jock, the silverback leader of a family at Bristol Zoo Gardens.
A zoo spokesman said: ‘The baby appears strong and mum is being very attentive. The Gorilla House is closed to allow Touni time to rest quietly and bond with her new infant.’
The baby is the eighth gorilla in the zoo’s troop. Another, called Afia, was born by emergency caesarean section in February last year.
Western lowland gorillas are found in the wild in the Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon and Gabon. Their numbers have fallen by 60 per cent in the past 25 years due to hunting, disease and habitat loss.