Baby Gorilla Born: Big Pic
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Aug. 13, 2011 -- There's a new baby on board at The San Diego Zoo Safari Park! The zoo, also known as Wild Animal Park, had its first baby gorilla birth in 11 years on June 17.
Kokamo, a 22-year-old western gorilla, is now nursing her baby often and could nurse for as long as three years. This baby gorilla is the sixth western gorilla at the Wild Animal Park, according to a zoo press release.
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As a result of the bushmeat trade and the spread of the Ebola virus, the western gorilla -- also called the lowland gorilla -- is listed as a critically endangered species, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
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The western gorilla, Gorilla gorilla, has a more pronounced brow bridge and smaller ears in relation to its head, when compared to an eastern, or mountain, gorilla. It also has a differently shaped nose and lips, a wider and larger skull, and its big toe is spread apart more from the other four toes.
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Kokamo's baby will likely grow quickly and can be expected to learn to walk on its own by six months; by 18 months of age, it should be able to follow Kokamo on foot for short distances. Keepers have not been able to weigh the baby yet, and the gender hasn't been determined.
By Yasmine Gazelle Temraz
Source and photo: San Diego Zoo
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