Belfast Zoo hails arrival of baby gorilla

The baby gorilla remains without a name until its sex can be determined

Belfast Zoo has welcomed the arrival of a new baby gorilla, describing it as "fantastic news".

The western lowland gorilla was born last month and remains without a name until its sex can be determined.

Its mother Kamili gave birth naturally to the infant, with father Gugas and the rest of the family close by.

"Mother and baby are doing very well and our zookeepers are giving them essential time to bond," zoo curator Julie Mansell said.

The western lowland gorilla is classified as critically endangered

"The infant looks strong and healthy and Kamili is an experienced and excellent mother.

"We will continue to keep a close eye on them both, but everything is looking very positive."

The western lowland gorilla is classified as critically endangered, with some estimates putting the number left in the wild at about 100,000.

The baby gorilla is the second child that mother Kamili and father Gugas have had together

Mother Kamili gave birth naturally to the infant

These gorillas live in dense forests in western central Africa and are herbivores whose diet includes fruit, shoots, bulbs, tree bark and leaves.

This is the second infant that Gugas and Kamili have had together - seven years ago the couple welcomed their first arrival, a baby girl gorilla called Kibibi.

Gugas is Belfast Zoo's silverback gorilla and was born in the wild, but it said he "had a tragic start to life as his parents were both killed, most likely for smuggling".

'Risk of extinction'

As a young, sick, orphaned gorilla, he was acquired by Lisbon Zoo from a Portuguese circus, it added.

Later he was transferred to Stuttgart Zoo in Germany to live in a nursery group for orphaned gorillas, arriving at Belfast Zoo in 1998.

Western lowland gorillas live in dense forests in western central Africa

Ms Mansell said the birth is fantastic news for the zoo, as it is "part of an internationally important breeding and conservation programme which is designed to help safeguard the future of western lowland gorillas".

"Gorillas are facing the real and severe risk of extinction in their native habitat due to habitat loss as well as the pet trade," she added.

"Adults are also killed for bushmeat and trophy hunting."

The zoo said Gugas' initial fertility tests had not been promising "due to his unfortunate early years, however he has defied the odds to father four infants at Belfast Zoo".