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The LA Zoo's First Baby Gorilla In 20 Years Is A Girl
Female Western Lowland Gorilla, N'djia, and her newborn baby girl. (Photo by Jamie Pham/Courtesy L.A. Zoo)
The Los Angeles Zoo announced its first gorilla birth in 20 years just a few weeks ago, but until now the gender wasn't known.
First-time mother N'djia, 25, gave birth to a baby girl on Jan. 18. She and the father, 32-year-old Kelly, are Western Lowland gorillas, a species that has become critically endangered because of illegal hunting, dwindling habitat and susceptibility to diseases like the Ebola virus, according to the zoo. The birth is part of a species survival program.
For the next four to six months, the baby girl will grow rapidly from her original birth weight of about 3 pounds. If you're lucky, you might be able to catch a glimpse of her clinging to mom while nursing and observing her surroundings.
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