SEATTLE - At 4:20 a.m. (PST) last Friday, a gorilla was born at Woodland Park Zoo, marking the zoo’s eleventh successful gorilla birth. The female infant represents the second offspring between 32-year-old mother, Amanda, and 23-year-old father, Vip. On average, newborn gorillas weigh about four pounds.

(Viewing of the new baby gorilla is limited. For the health and safety of the baby, she and the mother gorilla may be seen only when outdoor temperatures are 65 degrees or above and there is no wind or rain.)

View a video clip of the baby and Amanda: Cable/DSL 56K Dial up (If you experience difficulty playing the clips get the RealPlayer plugin here)

Amanda and her infant remain indoors off exhibit due to cooler temperatures and Amanda’s recovery from the delivery. According to zoo Associate Veterinarian Dr. Darin Collins, “The first several days of a newborn gorilla are the most critical and we want Amanda and her baby to have the best chance at a healthy start.” In response to signs of discomfort shown by Amanda, the zoo today performed an ultrasound on the mother. “The ultrasound revealed that Amanda is in good health,” explained Dr. Collins. “As a precaution, we’re administering antibiotics and analgesics, and keeping her under observation.”

“The infant appears to be healthy and strong, and is gripping Amanda firmly,” says zoo Senior Keeper Helen Shewman. “Similarly, Amanda is demonstrating normal maternal care by holding and cleaning her baby,” adds Shewman. Staff will continue to keep the mother and newborn under close observation to ensure that Amanda’s infant is nursing properly and receiving adequate milk.

The gorilla birth is significant for the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) because Amanda is a “founder” animal — born in the wild — and Vip has only one other relative outside of Woodland Park Zoo. These combined factors make the baby gorilla’s genes particularly valuable.

The Gorilla SSP is among 35 SSPs that Woodland Park Zoo participates in, including the Sumatran tiger, Aruba Island rattlesnake, red-crowned crane and orangutan. Under the auspices of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the cooperative breeding programs work to ensure genetic diversity and demographic stability in North American zoos and aquariums. Additionally, SSPs involve a variety of other collaborative conservation activities such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects. AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation, with more than 205 zoos and aquariums as members.

In addition to Amanda and the newborn, Vip’s gorilla group consists of: 12-year-old Jumoke (ju-MO-kee); 4-year-old Monifa (moh-NEE-fuh), daughter of Jumoke and Vip; and 4-year old Ngozi (en-GO-zee), daughter of Amanda and Vip. The zoo's second gorilla group consists of: 34-year-old Nina; 34-year-old Pete; 11-year-old Alafia (uh-LAW-fee-uh), daughter of Nina and Pete; 2-year-old Naku (NAW-koo), daughter of Alafia and Vip; 6-year-old Nadiri (NAW-dee-ree), daughter of Jumoke; and 1-year-old Akenji , daughter of Jumoke and Vip.

Western lowland gorillas are endangered. The estimated population of wild western lowland gorillas is about 110,000. The bushmeat trade, which is decimating African wildlife including gorillas and their young, is fueled by increased logging and is an imminent threat to the western lowland gorilla population, particularly in West and Central Africa. Another primary reason for their endangered status is habitat destruction due to logging and agricultural expansion.

For more information about the zoo’s gorillas and its conservation efforts, check out Woodland Park Zoo’s Web site at www.zoo.org. Zoo summer hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. For general zoo information, log on the zoo’s Web site or call 206.684.4800.