Brookfield Zoo Names Baby Gorilla
CHICAGO (CBS)--A critically-endangered western lowland gorilla born June 1 at Brookfield zoo has been named.
The zoo announced the infant gorilla's new name, Ali, on Monday. She and her mom, Koola, can be seen in the zoo's "Tropic Word: Africa" habitat.
Other family members living with Koola and Ali at the zoo include Koola's two other offspring--Kamba, 13, and Nora, 4. Kamba's 2-year-old son Zachary also lives with the family, along with 30-year-old Binti Jua and 38-year-old Binti Jua, (Koola's mom and dad).
When Ali turns 3 months old, zoo-goers will be able to watch her ride on Koola's back. At 4 months, she will begin exploring the habitat on her own but will still stay within arm's reach of Koola. Ali will start to sample small pieces of food at about 4 months old, but nursing will continue for the next several years.
"Ali is a wonderful addition to the four-generation family of western lowland gorillas currently in the group at Brookfield Zoo," said Amy Roberts, senior curator of mammals at Brookfield Zoo, in a press release. "She has already been welcomed into the existing gorilla social group, which is typically comprised of one adult male (known as a silverback), several adult females, and juveniles."
Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered primarily due to commercial hunting for the bushmeat trade, diseases such as the Ebola virus, as well as the illegal pet trade and habitat destruction from logging. It is estimated that there are approximately 200,000 western lowland gorillas in their native West Africa habitat (the forests of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Congo, and Angola), and almost 350 western lowland gorillas living in accredited North American zoos.
