Hope The Gorilla, 22, Gives Birth At Dallas Zoo

DALLAS, TX — Dallasites let out a collective "aww" Monday afternoon as the Dallas Zoo announced the birth of its first baby gorilla in 2o years.

The baby gorilla, who remains unnamed and whose gender is yet unknown, was born Monday, June 25, to Hope, the zoo's 22-year-old critically endangered western lowland gorilla. Zoo staff said Hope spent just over an hour in labor.

The zoo has cared for only five baby gorillas in the last 50 years, including the one born in June. Gregg Hudson, the zoo's CEO and president said he has waited 20 years to make this announcement.

“Welcoming a critically endangered gorilla into our family is one of the most significant animal announcements we can make, and we’ve waited patiently for 20 years for this moment,” Hudson said. “We’ve dedicated years of conservation field work to saving gorillas in the wild and now we’re proudly increasing their numbers in human care. We’re truly beaming with pride.”

The baby gorilla's daddy, Subira, was the first of the zoo's nine gorillas to greet the infant. Zoo staff said Subira, a Silverback, gently pressed his lips to the baby's head shortly after her birth.

Hope is no stranger to motherhood, giving birth to her first infant in 2004 at ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque. After raising the gorilla, Hope was moved to the Dallas Zoo in February 2017 on an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan breeding recommendation in hopes of increasing the population in North America.

“It’s taken a lot of perseverance, the right chemistry, and a team of dedicated animal experts to get here,” said Harrison Edell, Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation. “Reproducing critically endangered species is no easy feat, and this moment doesn’t come without its share of obstacles. We’re feeling a ton of emotions – excitement, relief, gratitude – and now we have to ensure this infant grows into a successful member of our gorilla troop.”

Hope and her infant are both strong and healthy, zoo staff said. The baby has been seen gripping onto Hope and nursing from her mother frequently.

The zoo cares for nine gorillas, including its bachelor troop who live on the south side of the Gorilla Trail, and the family troop who live on the north side. The family troop remains behind the scenes where Hope and her baby are bonding privately.

Subira, also 22-years-old, is very curious of the infant and is calmly investigating the little one, the zoo said. Meanwhile, 13-year-old female Megan is the most inquisitive, staying very close to Hope. Female Shanta, 21, Shanta has shown the new mother respect, giving her privacy and space.

“It’s incredible to see how our troop is reacting to the baby – they’re all managing well and Hope has been super patient with their presence,” said Keith Zdrojewski, Dallas Zoo’s Curator of Primates and Carnivores. “Hope’s pregnancy lasted 8.5 months, and we were able to monitor the baby’s growth along the way through ultrasound. Keepers trained Hope to voluntarily participate in her own health care, allowing us to observe movement; hear the heartbeat; see the infant’s bladder, spine, appendages; and confirm when its head was down.”

While the gorilla population continues to grow in captivity, those in the wild have never been under greater threat. Wild gorillas suffer from habitat destruction, poaching for bush meat and the animal trafficking trade, and disease.

According to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, the world’s leading gorilla conservation organization and a Dallas Zoo partner, there are approximately 350,000 western lowland gorillas left in Africa.

Native to the Congo Basin, western lowland gorillas are the smallest of the subspecies and the least critically endangered. There are roughly 3,800 Grauer’s gorillas, 880 mountain gorillas, and 300 Cross River gorillas remaining in the wild.

With 295 western lowland gorillas living in AZA-accredited zoos, the nation’s top zoos have never been more committed to protecting this species in human care and in their native habitat.

The zoo’s animal care team aims for Hope and her baby to make their first scheduled public appearance within the next week or so. The zoo will share the date on its social media pages.

About Dallas Zoo's Gorilla Conservation Efforts:

The Dallas Zoo has supported gorilla conservation for many years. A species that is close to its President and CEO’s heart, Hudson is the immediate past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, where he’s been a member since 2007. He serves on the board of directors for the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE), as well. Zdrojewski is also on GRACE’s Animal Care and Welfare Advisory Group – he helped the organization open a one-of-a-kind forest enclosure in the Congo for its orphaned Grauer’s gorillas in 2015.

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Lead image via Dallas Zoo, used with permission