Second Gorilla in 1 Month Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

Another baby gorilla has joined the great apes at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

The western lowland gorilla's birth, announced Monday, is the 52nd in the zoo's great apes program, according to zoo officials. It's the second baby gorilla born in about one month. The first arrived in October.

READ: Zoo Area Reopens After Birth of Endangered Gorilla

This second baby is also girl and appears to be in good health, doing well in the arms of her mother, 16-year-old Rollie. She went into labor on Friday, said Zoo President Kevin Bell.

"While it took several weeks of close observation to determine the gender of baby Patty, the newest arrival has already been (identified) as another girl!" Bell wrote, in a statement on the zoo's Facebook page. "The little one’s name is still undetermined, but we’ll be working with animal care staff and friends of the zoo to come up with a good one."

Proud papa Kwan, a 23-year-old silverback, now has two little ones to look after. He also sired , who is being carefully cared for by troop member Bana in October.

Rollie’s baby represents not only the eighth member of the troop, but the third generation, zoo officials said. Kowali, 34, is Rollie’s mom—and a new grandma.

“It is so much fun having multiple youngsters in the same troop, not to mention this type of environment will be great for fostering the social development of these new infants,” Curator of Primates Maureen Leahy said, in a news release. “There is a real sense of camaraderie among the adult females, and their babies will have the chance to play together and learn from each other.”

Watch the accompanying video for a glimpse of the Rollie and her new baby spending time together.

The last time zoo had two infants in the same troop was in 2004, when Susie and Azizi were born just one year apart. Both gorillas still live at the zoo.

Officials said keepers and veterinarians are closely monitoring Rollie and her offspring, as the first few weeks of life are risky for gorilla babies. Like all expectant ape mothers at the zoo, Rollie was given maternal training as part of her standard operant conditioning, setting her up for success to properly position and nurse the baby.

“We are encouraged by the bonding we already see between mom and baby," Leahy said, in the release. "The two of them have been spending most of their time in a nest Rollie carefully crafted. The other individuals in the troop are interested, especially Bana and Patty, who are often close by."

Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in their native central Africa due to habitat loss and poaching, the release says.

Lincoln Park Zoo members will get a special sneak peek at the newest addition between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, Nov. 20, at Regenstein Center for African Apes.

The building will then be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day and then every day from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Looking for more Lincoln Park Zoo stories?

• Zoo Scientists Ask Residents to Help With Bat Study
• Zoo Area Reopens After Birth of Endangered Gorilla

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