Baby gorilla born at Pittsburgh Zoo

PITTSBURGH — A second Western lowland gorilla, a baby boy, was born at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium on May 11.

The healthy boy and his mom, Moka, are both doing well. The newborn joins Charlotte, a female gorilla, born on Feb. 14.

The zoo hosted a successful naming contest for recent animal additions, but in this case, animal care staff have already selected a name for the boy: Bo. The name was selected in honor of Bo’s late grandfather, Mimbo, who resided at the Pittsburgh Zoo until 2005.

Zoo guests may see Bo at any time, but shouldn’t expect to see the two gorilla infants playing together any time soon because they are with their immediate families. With a total of eight gorillas now in residence, the zoo hosts two gorilla troops who rotate through areas at various times.

The two babies are in two different family troops.

“Troops in the wild typically consist of one silverbacked male, females, and offspring, so this became a natural arrangement,” explains Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Curator of Mammals Kelsey Forbes in a news release. “The two groups do have constant visual access to one another, which allows both infants to see the other family members. Both troops are doing great.”

The zoo is experiencing a baby boom: the two gorillas born this year join twin Amur leopard cubs born in March, as well as three consecutive nyalas born in February, March and April.

The gorillas and leopards are both particularly endangered species. Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered, with a rapidly decreasing population in the wild. The new babies at the zoo will eventually aid the species with new genetics.

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