Baby gorilla finding his first British winter a little on the chilly side

ASIX-MONTH-OLD baby gorilla that has been handreared by keepers after his mother found caring for him a little challenging is growing up quickly.

Hasani, who was born last August at Bristol Zoo, is being looked after round-the-clock by a team of keepers and now weighs around 6kg and has 10 teeth.

He has started to eat small amounts of solid food, including carrots, sweet potato and green beans.

Lynsey Bugg, curator of mammals at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “Hasani can get himself around nicely now. He’s becoming much more confident in exploring on his own.

“He’s not overly keen on the British winter. He likes to look at things and touch branches, but he is quick to hunker down in the warm when it gets cold.”

Hasani is still being given five feeds of 180mls of milk over 12 hours throughout the day, but he no longer needs to be fed during the night.

Lynsey said: “He sometimes opens his eyes if he’s thirsty and stirs quite a bit in the night, but doesn’t really wake up.”

Hasani is gradually being reintroduced to his seven fellow western lowland gorillas at the zoo, although he is yet to live with them. He stays with keepers behind the mesh where he can see and smell the rest of the troop.

“The females will all come over to see and sniff him,” Lynsey added.

“His mother, Kala, will regularly give him gentle grumbles, a vocalisation that is positive and welcoming. They quite enjoy sitting with him whilst he climbs on the mesh between them.

“We are spending time with him in all areas of the Gorilla Island exhibit so he will get used to the island ready for when he goes back to live with the group, hopefully later this year.”

Bristol Zoological Society has been caring for gorillas since 1930 and plays a significant role in a conservation breeding programme for western lowland gorillas as well as running a conservation programme in Equatorial Guinea in Africa.

The society also raises funds for gorilla conservation in the wild, supports a gorilla orphanage in Cameroon and has pioneered veterinary treatment for gorillas.

He is quick to hunker down in the warm when it gets cold LYNSEY BUGG