SEATTLE - For the second time this year, Woodland Park Zoo is proud to announce the birth of an endangered western lowland gorilla. Amanda, 28, gave birth at 12:50 a.m. today. The baby, whose sex has not yet been visually determined, marks the eighth successful gorilla birth at the zoo. Average gorilla infants weigh about four pounds.

Amanda and her newborn will not be on public view for at least three days until zoo staff are sure the baby is doing well and if outdoor temperatures are high enough.

Amanda, whose due date was March 15, delivered her baby in the gorilla holding area following nearly three hours of labor. Zoo staff and volunteers had been monitoring Amanda for 24 hours since March 1. According to Gorilla Keeper Hugh Bailey, "The infant appears to be healthy and strong, and is gripping Amanda firmly. Similarly, Amanda is demonstrating normal maternal care by holding and cleaning her baby." Staff will continue to keep the mother and newborn under close observation to ensure that Amanda is nursing properly.

The birth represents the first offspring between Amanda and 19-year-old Vip. "Further, it is significant for the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) because Amanda is a ‘founder’ animal - caught in the wild - and Vip has only two relatives in North America," explained Bailey. These combined circumstances make the baby gorilla’s genes particularly valuable.

SSPs are cooperative breeding programs among North American zoos to manage and expand the captive populations of endangered species while ensuring genetic diversity and demographic stability.

Amanda is on long-term loan to Woodland Park Zoo from the Toronto Zoo and arrived here four years ago. Her first offspring was born in November 1995 but died five days later due to complications from birth defects.

Captive born in the Netherlands, Vip arrived from Franklin Park Zoo, Boston, in October 1996. His only other relatives in North America are his 33-year-old mother and another infant born to 12-year-old mate Jumoke at Woodland Park Zoo on January 3.

In addition to Vip’s gorilla group, the zoo has a second group: 30-year-old Nina; 30-year-old Pete; 7-year-old Alafia, daughter of Nina and Pete; and 2-year-old Nadiri.

The endangered western lowland gorilla lives in six countries across west equatorial Africa: southeast Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo and Equatorial Guinea. The primary reason for their endangerment is habitat destruction caused by logging and agricultural expansion.