An infant western lowland gorilla has died at Zoo Atlanta.
Zoo Atlanta said in a statement that it was saddened to share that the female infant born to Kambera on Nov. 13 died. The zoo had just announced the birth over the weekend.
The zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams briefly removed the infant from Kambera to conduct a neonatal exam and to ensure that the infant was properly hydrated and fed. Following the exam, the infant was promptly returned to Kambera.
Kambera had begun nursing the infant, and the teams were pleased to observe this development along with the positive maternal behaviors the new mother had already been displaying since giving birth. Sadly, however, the infant was observed to be deceased this morning, according to a news release from Zoo Atlanta.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of not just this special little individual, but by the loss of a newborn member of a critically endangered species. Like humans, newborn gorillas are very fragile, and the first few days of life are uncertain for any baby animal,” said Gina Ferrie, PhD, Vice President of Collections and Conservation. “If there is an encouraging takeaway from this sad moment, it is that we were so encouraged to see Kambera, who had not previously reared an infant, display all of the maternal inclinations we hoped to see. Our teams worked tirelessly and with outstanding commitment to help Kambera prepare for the birth and, following the birth, to ensure her and her infant’s wellbeing.”
A necropsy, or the animal equivalent of an autopsy, will be conducted to gain information which may shed more light on the infant’s cause of death.
