There's a new face at the Cincinnati Zoo, after a western lowland gorilla by the name of Anju had a baby girl on August 25.
With the new arrival being the 50th gorilla at the zoo, officials have named her ‘Elle’, after the Roman numeral for the number 50.
Eric High, leader of the zoo's primate team, said that Elle's father, Jomo, appeared to be a protective parent. According to High, Jomo began paying a great deal of attention to Anju shortly before the baby was born, and kept other gorillas away from Anju during both the labor and delivery phases of the birth. For her part, Anju remained composed and took good care of the infant.
The new baby is the 50th gorilla successfully born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1970, but is Anju's first.
Keepers are observing the new arrival through a system of remote cameras, as well as personal observation. They will continue to keep an eye on the new family until they are sure Anju is providing her child with proper care, including nursing, and the troupe has returned to normal.
Zoo officials might have fun by working with a banner printing company to create a streamer welcoming Elle to the zoo. They say that the young gorilla’s public appearances will be dependent on her health and the weather, with 10:00 am being the most likely time to see her.
