CLEVELAND — In a first for a Cleveland zoo, a western lowland gorilla gave birth to a male last month, officials announced Thursday.
The birth of the male gorilla at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is the first in the facility’s 139-year history, zoo officials said in a news release.
The primate was born Oct. 26 to Nneka, a 23-year-old female, and Mokolo, a 34-year-old male, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.
The zoo also announced a long-term partnership with CrossCountry Mortgage that will include a chance for the public to name the gorilla, the newspaper reported.
“We’re thrilled to announce the birth of this gorilla, the first in our history, as we also look ahead toward the future at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,” Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman said in a statement.
Zoo officials said in the news release that when Nneka did not show “appropriate maternal care,” the troop’s eldest female, instinctively took over care of the infant. Fredrika, a 47-year-old gorilla known as “Freddy,” has already raised four infants, officials said.
Visitors will have a chance to see the infant gorilla daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the zoo’s primate, cat and aquatics building, according to the Plain Dealer.