Female Baby Gorilla Born at SF Zoo Wednesday

By Bay City News Service

A baby gorilla born Wednesday has joined the troop at the San Francisco Zoo, zoo officials said.

The 5-pound 1-ounce baby girl arrived around 2 p.m. Wednesday after her 14-year-old mother Nneka carried her for a nine-month gestation period.

The new female western lowland gorilla is Nneka's first offspring.

Her father is Oscar Jonesy, a 31-year-old silverback who also sired 4-year-old male Hasani in 2008 with another female, Monifa, at the zoo. Oscar Jonesy weighs in at 330 pounds and, according to zoo officials, is "a patient and loving father."

The baby girl appears to be healthy, as does the mother, zoo officials said.

The six gorillas in the troop at the zoo will not be at their exhibit for the next few days as they adjust to the new addition to the group.

Zoo officials said Nneka had an easy pregnancy and enjoyed eating treats such as potatoes and romaine lettuce.

She took to being awake during ultrasounds, which allowed zoo officials to monitor the fetus without using anesthesia.

Zoo staff are now working with Nneka as she learns to feed and take care of her baby.

The infant has yet to be named, but zoo officials said visitors to Jones Family Gorilla Preserve will soon have something to call her.

The zoo is located at the foot of Sloat Boulevard. 

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

'Like' Piedmont Patch on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter @PiedmontPatch