First baby gorilla born at Calgary Zoo in six years

Dossi, the zoo's 21-year-old year-old western lowland gorilla, gave birth to a baby early Wednesday morning, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said.

The zoo said Dossi is showing great early mothering skills. Jasiri, a 23-year-old silverback male, is the baby's dad. The sex of the baby gorilla has yet to be determined.

"This is Dossi's first baby, and we are cautiously optimistic," said Jamie Dorgan, director of animal care, health and welfare at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

"Dossi, Jasiri, the baby and the troop are all adjusting to the newest family member and the Animal Care, Health and Welfare team will be closely monitoring and supporting them every moment along the way."

Gorillas are a social species and develop close-knit family bonds. Dossi, Jasiri and the infant are together with the rest of the gorilla troop in the main habitat, the zoo said.

The African Rainforest building is closed to allow the troop some privacy as they bond with their newest member. The building will remain closed to the public until the troop is ready for human visitors.

The zoo is home to six adult gorillas. The last successful gorilla birth at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo was Kimani, who was born in 2016.

This birth represents important genetic diversity within the Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Program, the zoo said.

Wild gorilla populations have decreased by 80 per cent over the past 30 years because ofpoaching and habitat destruction, mostly for the mineral coltan which is used in cell phone production, the zoo said.