For the first time in the Detroit Zoo’s 96-year history, a baby gorilla has been born, and it’s an important event beyond just metro Detroit.
The newborn arrived early on August 8, making the sweet little baby a Leo. First-time mother Bandia, 26, and father Mshindi, 36, are both doing very well, according to the Zoo.
“Bandia had a very smooth pregnancy, which is so important for a first-time mom,” Tami Brightrall, associate curator of mammals for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS), said in a press release. “Throughout her eight-and-a-half-month pregnancy, she continued to participate in routine ultrasounds using positive reinforcement training methods, which allowed our team to check on the baby along the way and ensure everything was going well.”
The birth is particularly significant as western lowland gorillas are critically endangered, making it big news across the world. The baby now joins a gorilla troop that includes her parents, along with 20-year-old Tulivu and 11-year-old Nayembi, who all arrived at the Zoo last August.
In preparation for the baby’s arrival, the Zoo’s mammal and primate teams, along with veterinary staff, worked for months to prepare Bandia and the entire gorilla troop.
“Animal care staff actually carried a stuffed gorilla around the habitat while interacting with the troop to properly demonstrate how to carry a baby,” Brightrall said.
Over the coming weeks, Bandia and her baby will be closely monitored as Zoo staff watches Bandia’s motherly behaviors and the baby’s developmental milestones.
Soon, Bandia and her little one will have the option to explore the four-acre Great Apes of Harambee habitat, where visitors might eventually catch a glimpse of them. However, it all depends on how comfortable Bandia feels as she adjusts to her new role as a mom.
“We want to keep things calm and quiet for Bandia, the baby and the rest of the troop to provide them time to settle in,” Melissa Thueme, a mammal supervisor for the DZS, said. “The area will reopen once the animal care team determines mom and baby have had enough time to bond and become comfortable in their habitat.”
Welcome to the world, little one!
Scroll down for more adorable pictures of Bandia and her baby.
