Zookeepers can't tell whether it's a boy or a girl because the mother is holding it so close.
©Patrick BolgerDublin Zoo has welcomed a new baby gorilla.
The baby western lowland gorilla was born to first-time mother Kafi and father Bangui on April 1st.
The little gorilla was born weighing about 2-2.5kg.
However, the keepers at Dublin Zoo don't know its gender because the mother has been keeping the baby close to her chest since the birth.
The newborn is the first offspring of father Bangui since he arrived at Dublin Zoo last year.
©Patrick Bolger"Kafi is doing a fantastic job so far as a first-time mother, keeping the young baby physically close in these crucial early stages", said the Team Leader of the African Plains at Dublin Zoo Helen Clarke-Bennett.
"Bangui is proving to be an attentive father and at night has been sleeping close to Kafi and the baby. Kafi seems comfortable and at ease and we expect her to mix with the rest of the gorilla troop very soon.
"Since she arrived with us back in 2012, Kafi has witnessed other female gorillas give birth and raise their young which has been a huge help in teaching Kafi how to look after her own baby. This new birth is a great step forward for this critically endangered species.”
Bangui arrived at Dublin Zoo in 2018 following the death of long-time alpha male ‘silverback’ Harry. Dublin Zoo say Bangui was quickly accepted as the new alpha-male of the troop and has begun his transformation into a silverback gorilla.
