Western Lowland Gorilla Born At Fort Worth Zoo

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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - There has been a new arrival at the Fort Worth Zoo...a bouncing baby gorilla.

According to Zoo officials, first time parents Gracie and Elmo welcomed a boy, the Zoo's first-ever western lowland gorilla, on Saturday December 5th.

The unnamed ape is staying close to mother Gracie as he gets used to his surroundings in the Zoo's 'World of Primates' exhibit.

As he matures, he will be viewable in both indoor and outdoor exhibits during the day, weather permitting, and at his mother's discretion.

The Fort Worth Zoo is the only zoo in the nation to house representatives of all four great ape species — gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos.

According to the Fort Worth Zoo, western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to hunting and disease.

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