Texas Zoo Welcomes Baby Gorilla Delivered by Emergency C-Section
It was a bouncing baby girl that was born on January 5th at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, and we finally all get to see the precious little one! ABC News shared a video on Saturday, February 17th introducing Jameela - which means beautiful in Swahili - to the world. She was born in a very rare emergency C-section and is doing very well as she grows and learns about the world around her.
The video shows Jameela's life so far, from a bottle feeding to cuddling up in a warm white blanket and even a smile! The best though is her little cries of protest when she's getting weighed...be sure your sound is on!
I'm so glad that @ABC News shared this precious video because Jameela is just a doll! Both mom and baby are doing great, and mom is healing perfectly. Unfortunately, mama Sekani is not interested in caring for Jameela. One news reports shared that some zookeepers "believe may be a result of her never experiencing the flood of hormones associated with a full-term pregnancy and natural birth." After many attempts to reunite the two, the zoo is trying to find another female gorilla to act as a surrogate mother.
Related: Watch as Gorilla Mom Sweetly Bonds With Her Baby at London Zoo
Baby Gorilla Animal Facts
Jameela has already had quite a growth spurt and has doubled her weight since her birth. These babies, called infants like human babies, weigh about four pounds when they are born, and it's very rare for gorillas to have twins - even more rare than it is for humans. Another cool fact about this birth: Jameela is only the third gorilla born at the zoo in more than 100 years! Not only was the c-section rare, but so is she!
Infant gorillas normally spend the first six months of life in constant contact with mom and she will not put the baby down. Since Jameela's mom isn't acting like much of a mom and missing out on this bonding time, zookeepers have stepped in to help snuggle, feed, and care for her until a gorilla mom can be found and introduced to her. She's being bottle fed right now, and it's adorable to watch - she tries not to fall asleep during her feeding just like a human baby!
In another couple of months, Jameela will start sitting up on her own and will start climbing and walking by six or seven months, much more quickly than most human babies. Also just like human babies, gorilla babies love to play so I'm sure the zoo will start introducing enrichment toys and activities within the next few months, too.
I'm so glad that the zoo shared these cute photos and videos of Jameela's first month, and I'll continue to follow this story as she grows, while also waiting for updates about her new mom.
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