Endangered Baby Gorilla Born At Lincoln Park Zoo Dies

[Valerie]

Endangered Baby Gorilla Born At Lincoln Park Zoo Dies



Baby Gorilla Born
In this photo taken Nov. 18, 2011, provided by the Lincoln Park Zoo, Western Lowland Gorilla mother Bana hold her new her baby which was born on Nov. 16, 2011. The baby which has yet to be named joins a troop of seven Western Lowland Gorillas at the zoo. The newborn girl is the first of this critically endangered species to be born at the zoo since 2005. (AP Photo/ Lincoln Park Zoo, Todd Rosenberg)

11/25/11 11:16 PM ET   Associated PressAP


CHICAGO — A preliminary exam shows that an endangered baby gorilla born nine days ago at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo died of head trauma.

Zoo workers discovered the baby gorilla was dead Friday morning, as she was being carried around by her mother.

The zoo says workers allowed the mother, 16-year-old Bana, to keep the baby for several hours "to make peace with what happened." She was a first-time mother.

The cause of death was determined later in the day during a necropsy, the animal version of an autopsy.

The baby's father was a 22-year-old silverback gorilla named Kwan.

The baby was the first Western lowland gorilla born at the zoo since 2005. She had not been named.

In a statement, the zoo says the baby appeared to be fully developed.

[Valerie]

Animals grieve just like we ... the mother carried the dead wee soul around for hours ... I am heartbroke­n ... just like she.

I hope they give the momma another chance. It was her first time, and I've read that often the first time mommies aren't quite as careful.

What a loss, though.