Female gorilla born in Antwerp ZOO
At the end of November, Antwerp Zoo issued some wonderful news: the female gorilla Mayani had given birth. The baby's sex has now also been confirmed, but we are still waiting for the name.
Mayani is a devoted mother. She keeps her baby close by. Visitors can already enjoy a glimpse. There's no name so far. Though one thing is certain: the baby gorilla will get an African name starting with the letter T.
The birth is proof of the fact that Antwerp ZOO's investments are paying off. In the summer of 2017, the zoo opened the Valley of the Great Apes, a new and larger zone to accommodate the gorillas and chimpanzees. Not long later, in the autumn, Mayani was added to the group. Then the wardens shared their hopes for a new baby.
Now that baby T has arrived, the carers hope that Mayani will be a good example to Mambele, the other breeding female in the group. The carers are very hopeful that the silverback, Matadi, will also produce offspring with her.
Antwerp ZOO is delighted with the birth. The western lowland gorilla is an endangered species. There are only 90,000 individuals remaining in the wild. The type of breeding programme that the zoo is involved in is therefore truly vital.