March 30th, 2011
One Comment
Dublin Zoo has today announced the arrival of a new member to their western lowland gorilla family. They have yet to discover the gender of the baby as its proud mother, Lena, is guarding the little one so closely. The new addition to the zoo is in good health and mother and baby are bonding well. The baby’s father is 24 year old Harry, who is said to be a relaxed and experienced Dad.
“We are over the moon with the birth” says the team-leader in charge of gorillas, Chris McMahon. The zoo-keeper says that they can tell the baby is strong and healthy as it shows a lot of head movement. McMahon says that “the bonds between the group are very strong” and that it looks as if the new baby boy or girl will have no problem fitting in with the close-knit clan.
The baby gorilla will join two older brothers who were born in 2003 and 2006. The growing troop is quite a triumph for Dublin Zoo as it is one of a few European zoos to successfully have a gorilla family living together. Breeding programmes, like the one Dublin Zoo is a part of, are vitally important for the preservation of the gorilla. The critically endangered primate’s numbers are said to have decreased by 80% in recent years.
Now that the new baby has arrived safely, the zoo is working towards replacing the family’s existing enclosure with a new habitat, similar to that of their natural tropical forest homes.
By Sinéad. Filed under Events, News.
I love the zoo and I always go twice a year if possible. My sister is the same. We are going to be up in Dublin Tuesday morning early so we might take a trip over, weather permitting. The new addition is lovely.