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A Baby Gorilla at the Zoo!

by Lauren on August 30th, 2008

There’s a new baby at Taronga Zoo! Mahale, a male Western Lowland gorilla, was born on August 18. The adorable little boy made his public debut this week. The proud parents are the zoo’s oldest female, Moila, and the tribe’s leader Kibabu.

“With gorillas under intense pressure from jungle clearance and the bush meat and pet trades, as well as diseases like Ebola, this is a great result from one of the world’s most respected breeding groups,” said the zoo’s director Guy Cooper.

“It is a tribute to our keepers’ great husbandry skills, and provides a level of insurance and understanding of the species which will be invaluable in global efforts for these remarkable apes.”

And there’s more where that came from. The zoo is expecting elephant babies in mid 2009 and early 2010! Those elephants tend to be pregnant forever, but I can’t wait!

Make sure you head out to the zoo as soon as you can, because Mahale won’t stay a baby forever. And until then, check out this adorable Mahale photo gallery from The Sydney Morning Herald!

Times: The best opportunity to see Mahale is at the gorilla feeding sessions at 11:30 am and 2 pm daily.
Location: Taronga Zoo
Address: Bradleys Head Road, Mosman
Public transport: Catch a ferry from Circular Quay or bus from Wynyard Station
Parking: On site parking costs $10
Cost: Adult passes are $39, children are $19, and kids under four are free
Website: http://www.zoo.nsw.gov.au

Image source: Chris Swannie @ Flickr

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