So sweet.
Dublin Zoo has just announced the birth of a baby western lowland gorilla.
The baby born to mother Vana and father Bangui is the second baby gorilla born in Dublin Zoo this year.
Over the weekend, first time mother Vana gave birth to the healthy infant on Saturday afternoon and the pictures of them together are so adorable.
So far, keepers have been unable to determine the sex of the infant as Vana has been keeping the baby close since the birth.
The newborn weights approximately 2-2.5kg and was born on October 12.
This is the second off-spring of father Bangui since his arrival at Dublin Zoo, joining half-sister Asali who was born in April 2019.
?GORILLA BABY BORN?
We are delighted to announce the birth of the second baby gorilla in 6 months!
The baby, whose sex is yet to be determined was born to first-time mum Vana and dad Bangui on Saturday 12th October, so is just 6 days old??
Read: https://t.co/4lZ51poSYV pic.twitter.com/rIG3c9X4N5
— Dublin Zoo (@DublinZoo) October 17, 2019
Aisling Kenneally, Zoo Keeper at Dublin Zoo commented that;
“We’re delighted to announce that a second baby gorilla has been born at Dublin Zoo this year! As western lowland gorillas are critically endangered, it’s amazing that we have had not only one but two new births within a few months.
Vana is an amazing mum and is extremely protective of her little one. Vana and the baby were introduced to the rest of the female gorillas yesterday and are settling in well. Big sister Asali, has shown huge interest in her younger sister and the duo have been bonding over the past couple of days. We’re so excited to see both youngsters grow up and play together.”
To celebrate the latest arrival, Dublin Zoo will be hosting a naming competition.
Get thinking of some cracking names because you could be in with the chance to name the baby gorilla and win a prize of a family day pass.
You can also watch footage of the birth of Vana’s baby on the Dublin Zoo YouTube here.
