New Orleans Zoo Welcomes Critically Endangered Gorilla Baby

Staff at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana, welcomed a “critically endangered” baby western lowland gorilla on Friday, September 4.

The infant was born to 13-year-old mother Tumani and 27-year-old father Okpara. It marks the first gorilla birth at the facility in 24 years and Tumani’s first baby.

Primate experts at Audubon Nature Institute said Tumani and the infant are bonding well. The sex of the infant has yet to be determined.

“This is a momentous occasion for Audubon Zoo,” Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman said. “We are thrilled to share this birth with our New Orleans community and contribute to the conservation efforts of this critically endangered species.” Credit: Audubon Nature Institute via Storyful