Calaya gives birth to baby gorilla Moke at The National Zoo

“For the first time in nine years, primate staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are celebrating the birth of a male western lowland gorilla. He was born at 6:25 p.m. April 15 and is named Moke [Mo-KEY], which means “junior” or “little one” in the Lingala language. The parents—15 year old mother Calaya and 26-year-old father Baraka—bred in summer 2017 following a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP).”

In the silent footage from The National Zoo, above, you can see first-time mother Calaya nursing and caring for her newborn in the institute’s Great Ape House. Moke’s birth, an important one for the critically endangered species, was also captured on camera, shared in the video below. Calaya can be seen immediately cradling and cleaning him:

See more photos of mother and child at Smithsonian Magazine.

Next: The three different ways mammals give birth, Baby Gorilla Gladys at the Cincinnati Zoo, and Dr Charlotte Uhlenbroek meets a family of mountain gorillas.

Thanks, @benklinger.