Calgary Zoo to welcome baby gorilla in spring
Posted Jan 11, 2021 9:39 am.
Last Updated Jan 11, 2021 11:38 am.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The Calgary Zoo will soon be welcoming a baby gorilla to its family.
The zoo announced Monday that Yewande, a 12-year-old western lowland gorilla, is expecting her first baby.
(2/3) With an early May due date, there's still lots of challenges ahead to help Yewande successfully deliver a healthy baby, but the Animal Care team will be helping her every moment along the way. #GorillaBabyYYC pic.twitter.com/mzT1DmZNtB
— Calgary Zoo (@calgaryzoo) January 11, 2021
Yewande’s due date is early May and the official baby watch commences in mid-April until the baby is born.
“We are cautiously optimistic as this is Yewande’s first baby,” said Director of Animal Care Jamie Dorgan. “There are lots of challenges ahead of us to help Yewande successfully deliver a healthy baby and navigate troop family dynamics, but the Animal Care team will be helping her every moment along the way.”
This will be the first baby gorilla born at the zoo since 2016 with the birth of Kimani.
Zoo staff will continue training Yewande to help her be comfortable once the baby arrives and said direct intervention will only occur if the baby’s health and well-being are compromised.
