Texas Zoo Announces Birth Of Endangered Gorilla

FORT WORTH, TX - The Fort Worth Zoo announced Wednesday its first-ever birth of a western lowland gorilla, a “critically endangered” that could be near extinction.

Western lowland gorillas are categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the zoo said, because of hunting and disease.

The species also has a very low reproductive rate, which means that even under normal circumstances, it could take at least 75 years for “population recovery” to occur, the zoo said.

The Fort Worth Zoo’s newest member was born on Saturday and doesn’t have a name yet. It’s the first child for his parents, Gracie and Elmo.

“The yet-to-be-named ape is staying close to his mother as he gets acclimated to his surroundings in the Zoo’s World of Primates exhibit,” a zoo press release sad.

“He will be viewable in indoor or outdoor exhibits at various times during the day, which will be dictated by weather conditions and his activity level.”

The zoo also says that it is the only one in the nation that has all four species of great apes — gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos.

• Read more about the zoo’s newest addition here.

Image via Fort Worth Zoo