Brookfield Zoo Welcomes Newborn Gorilla

BROOKFIELD, IL – The Chicago Zoological Society, which operates Brookfield Zoo, announced the birth of a western lowland gorilla to 23-year-old Koola on Friday, June 1. The zoo said Koola has grown up in a strong, stable family group at Brookfield Zoo, where she has gained the social experience and confidence she needs to be a good mother.

Koola and her newborn can be visited in the zoo’s Tropic Word: Africa habitat along with Koola’s two other children Kamba, 13, and Nora, 4; Zachary (Kamba’s son), 2; Binti Jua (Koola’s mother), 30; and JoJo (the infant’s father), 38. According to the zoo, the newborn is a wonderful addition to the four-generation family of western lowland gorillas currently at Brookfield Zoo.

The zoo said JoJo is one of the most genetically valuable males in the Western Lowland Gorilla SSP population and his calm temperament has been an especially good match for the adult females at Brookfield Zoo. He was reportedly very playful with his offspring at Lincoln Park Zoo and he has shown the same interactions with his offspring at Brookfield Zoo.

“The Society is beyond thrilled to welcome the newborn into the Brookfield Zoo family,” Amy Roberts, Senior Curator of Mammals, said in a release. “JoJo’s role in the birth highlights the collaboration of organizations within the zoo community and the shared dedication to care for and emphasize the importance of this critically endangered species.”

A newborn gorilla weighs between 4 and 5 pounds at birth. In just the first few months, the newborn will have a strong grip and will cling to Koola’s abdomen. The zoo said at around three months old, zoogoers will be able to watch the the infant ride on Koola’s back, and about a month later the infant will be able to explore on their own but will still stay within arm’s reach of Koola. Although the infant will start to sample small pieces of food at about four months old, nursing will continue until about four years old.

Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered primarily due to commercial hunting for the bushmeat trade, diseases such as the Ebola virus, as well as the illegal pet trade and habitat destruction from logging. According to the zoo, it is estimated that there are approximately 200,000 western lowland gorillas in their native West Africa habitat (the forests of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Congo, and Angola).

Photo provided by Chicago Zoological Society.