Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium unveils latest addition: a baby gorilla

• By Zoe Fuller/WESA

On Valentine’s Day, a Western Lowland gorilla was born at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The species is the smallest of the great apes, native to central Africa and its population is endangered. This is the second baby for 32-year-old mother Ibo, which zoo officials say is a big step forward for its conservation work.

“A lot of our residents do happen to be an endangered species. So being able to see their offspring and to have healthy babies is just kind of a wonderful mark in what we can do in terms of conservation and the populations of these animals,” said public relations manager Alex Cauley.

Though the baby was born a month ago, the zoo has only just started introducing her to the public. To acquaint the community with the newborn before she is ready for full interaction, the zoo has set up a naming contest. Visitors can send in name suggestions and vote on their favorites. Cauley said that even on the first day the zoo was receiving numerous submissions.

“We have a lot of suggestions for Venus or Aphrodite, Valentine, Valentina,” said Cauley. “Some people have recommended a name and then they’ll also include ‘This is named after my daughter,’ or ‘This is named after my grandmother.’”

This isn’t the only work the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium has done in terms of their “Species Survival Plan,’ an effort toward long-term sustainability in the zoo. Just this year, the facility worked to rehabilitate rescued sea turtles before their release, and find a mate for their pygmy hippo Jahari.

“This baby gorilla is one of the several exciting additions we expect to announce over this year,” said Cauley.

The zoo will be taking naming suggestions through the end of the month.