Baby gorilla born at Howletts Wild Animal Park

Rex

Keepers have announced the birth of a baby gorilla at Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury in Kent.

Gorilla keepers were delighted when Tamba successfully gave birth to her fifth baby. The baby is a new addition to the group headed by silverback Kouillou and brings the total number of successful gorilla births at Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks to 131.

Neil Spooner Animal Director at Howletts said: 'Mother Tamba and Kouillou are excellent parents and I'm so pleased that we have another addition to their family group.

'Tamba will hold her baby until it is about two months old, after which it will be able to ride on her back clinging to her fur. The baby will be dependent on Tamba for three or four years as it learns from her and the family how to find food, socialise, make nests and raise young.'

The Western Lowland gorilla is endangered in the wild due to the illegal bushmeat trade.

Howletts and Port Lympne wild animal parks, managed by The Aspinall Foundation, have the largest collection of these gorillas and have successfully reintroduced several to the wild at the Batéké Plateau, a protected reserve spanning the Congo and Gabon.

Visitors to Howletts (who couldn't resist a trip to see this little one?), can support The Aspinall Foundation's efforts to save the species by adopting a gorilla.

Visit aspinallfoundation.org for more information.