Cleveland Metroparks Zoo announced the birth of a male gorilla on Thursday. The first born at the Zoo in its 139-year history. Cleveland Metroparks also announced a long-term partnership with Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage that will include a public naming opportunity for the new gorilla, an exclusive video series featuring updates on the baby gorilla’s growth and development, and an array of other activities.
The western lowland gorilla was born the morning of Oct. 26 to mom, Nneka (23), and dad, Mokolo (34). When Nneka did not show appropriate maternal care, the troop’s eldest female, Fredrika or “Freddy” (47), who herself has raised four infants, instinctively took over caring for the newborn.
Guests visiting Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will have a chance to see the newborn and gorilla troop at the Primate, Cat & Aquatics building daily between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to announce the birth of this gorilla, the first in our history, as we also look ahead towards the future at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,” says Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman. “Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has been an international leader in gorilla research, care and management, and our newly announced multi-year partnership with CrossCountry Mortgage will bring new engagement and other exciting opportunities to our zoo, as well as all of Cleveland Metroparks.”
Weighing approximately 3 lbs. at birth, newborn gorillas are in almost constant contact with their mother for the first six months and nurse for about three years. Over the past several days, Freddy has been bringing the newborn to be bottle-fed by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s animal care team. The team worked with the gorillas using positive reinforcement training techniques through a protective barrier, to facilitate cooperative participation in the supplemental feeding of the infant. The technique allows the infant to stay with the gorilla family at all times to promote proper physical development.
In the coming weeks, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and CrossCountry Mortgage will announce a public naming opportunity, as well as a video series documenting the baby’s development and troop dynamic.
The partnership with CrossCountry Mortgage will also include multi-year support of new public events, programs, art displays, and more designed to expand recreational and educational opportunities across all of Cleveland Metroparks and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a long-term leader in gorilla research, care and management, including spearheading the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program across all accredited zoos of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo also works closely with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (gorillafund.org). Zoo experts help train young Rwandan scientists at the Karisoke Research Center and protect the 200 gorillas in the Nkuba-Biruwe Conservation Area. Only 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in two populations in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Fewer than 8,500 Grauer’s gorillas remain in the DRC.
Visit FutureForWildlife.org for more information.