NEWS -GORILLA BORN AT PITSBURGH ZOO, MOM & BABY DOING FINE< BABYS GENDER UNKNOWN

Gorilla born at Pittsburgh Zoo, mom and baby doing fine; zookeepers don’t know gender yet

 

By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, February 17, 2012

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Zoo has a new baby gorilla in its midst.
Zoo officials say 15-year-old Moka gave birth last week after a year-and-a-half courtship with the zoo’s lead gorilla, 20-year-old Mrithi.

Zookeepers don’t yet know the baby’s gender, but say it appears to weigh between three and five pounds.
The new baby was born sometime after workers left the evening of Feb. 8. By the next morning the band of gorillas had grown from six to seven.
The baby is the first gorilla born at the zoo since 2001. Its father was the first born at the Pittsburgh Zoo, while Moka arrived from Miami in 2007.
Zoo officials say the other gorillas are keeping a respectful distance.
Visitors can see the new arrival at the zoo’s Tropical Forest exhibit.
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