Photo via Fort Worth Zoo
The Fort Worth Zoo justbrgot a lot cuter … and made history at the same time. The Zoo’s first-everbrwestern lowland gorilla was born December 5 to first-time parents Gracie andbrElmo.
The yet-to-be-named ape isbrstaying close to his mother as he gets acclimated to his surroundings in thebrZoo's World of Primates exhibit, according to a press release. He will be viewable in indoor orbroutdoor exhibits at various times during the day, which will be dictated bybrweather conditions and his activity level.
The Fort Worth Zoo is thebronly zoo in the nation to house representatives of all four great ape species: gorillas,brorangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos.
Western lowland gorillasbrare listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservationbrof Nature (IUCN) due to hunting and disease. Gorillas also have an alarminglybrlow reproductive rate (at an observed rate of 3 percent population increase),brso even if there was a drastic decline in hunting and disease, it could take atbrleast 75 years for population recovery to occur in optimistic scenarios. ThebrZoo participates in a cooperative breeding program for gorillas that maintainsbra healthy, self-sustaining population of vulnerable animals to help prevent theirbrextinction.