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Photo: Screenshot from WXYZ video)
For the first time in it's 96-year history, a baby gorilla was born at the Detroit Zoo.
In the early morning hours on Thursday, 26-year-old Bandia, a first-time mother, gave birth. The mother, baby and 36-year-old father Mshindi, are all doing very well, the Zoo said in a press release.
“Bandia had a very smooth pregnancy, which is so important for a first-time mom,” said Tami Brightrall, associate curator of mammals for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). “Throughout her eight-and-a-half month pregnancy, she continued to participate in routine ultrasounds using positive reinforcement training methods, which allowed our team to check on the baby along the way and ensure everything was going well.”
The zoo is now home to five gorillas.
The zoo said Bandia and her baby will be closely monitored in the coming days and weeks.
"Animal care staff will carefully be watching for maternal and nursing behaviors while tracking milestones such as eye movements, sound recognition and object grasping along the way," the press release said. "The other gorillas will continue to be observed as well to see how they behave and react to the addition of the baby to their troop."
