Baby Gorilla Born at the Brookfield Zoo

Photos by Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society.

A baby boy gorilla was born Sept. 23 at the Brookfield Zoo to 11-year-old Kamba.

With the arrival of baby Zachary, four generations of this western lowland gorilla family can now be seen in the zoo’s Tropic World: Africa habitat, including Koola, Kamba’s 20-year-old mother; Nora, who is Koola’s second daughter and nearly 2 years old; Binti Jua, Koola’s 27-year-old mother; and JoJo, the baby gorilla’s 35-year-old sire.

This group provided a strong and stable family life for Kamba, who “has gained the social experience and confidence she needs to be a good mother,” according to the Chicago Zoological Society.

Kambra and JoJo arrived at the Brookfield Zoo in 2012 from the Lincoln Park Zoo, and they were paired based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan.

Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered because of commercial hunting, diseases, illegal pet trade and habitat destruction.

JoJo is a genetically valuable male in the Species Survival Plan program, according to the Chicago Zoological Society. He is calm and playful with his offspring at the Lincoln Park Zoo and with Nora.

“Having JoJo come here has been a great success story and demonstrates the collaboration among the zoo community to effectively care for this critically endangered species,” said Craig Demitros, associate curator of primates for the society, in a statement. “We anticipate he will continue to be playful with Kamba’s infant as it gets older.”

Zachary has a strong grip, which he uses to cling to Kamba’s abdomen. When he is 3 months old, he may be seen riding on her back. Nursing will continue until he is 3 or 4 years old, but at 4 months, he will start eating small pieces of food, according to the society. Around that time, he may begin to explore more, within reach of his mother.