Zoo Atlanta visitors catch glimpse of new baby gorilla

ATLANTA — This summer people heading to Zoo Alanta are catching a glimpse of a very special baby.

Channel 2′s Linda Stouffer recently looked into what you might not know about the care behind the scenes of new baby gorilla Willie B III.

He was named after his father, Willie B Jr. and his grandfather Willie B who is an Atlanta legend.

Curator of Primates at Zoo Atlanta Jodi Carrigan said the baby is growing and the animal care team is keeping their distance. While mother Shalia nurses the baby and carries him most of the day.

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“Gorillas have about 20 different vocalizations they use to communicate with each other. Right now he has two: he has a food vocalitations just like any infant when they’re hungry,” Carrigan said.

Willie B III also knows how to communicate when he’s uncomfortable, according to Carrigan.

The staff encourages natural foraging behaviors in summer weather for the gorilla, with frozen fruit foraged for in what the zoo calls “boomer balls.”

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“Not everybody gets to come to Africa and see gorillas but when they come here to Zoo Atlanta, it’s our way of enaging our guests and connecting to these amazing animals,” Carrigan said.

For the summer, Zoo Atlanta’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend.

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