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The Detroit Zoo has a new resident — and claim to fame.
The first gorilla born at the zoo since it opened in 1928 has created quite the roar at the 125-acre facility in Royal Oak.
The Detroit Zoo announced the milestone Friday on X: “This precious moment marks a momentous occasion — Bandia is now the proud mother of the first gorilla born at the Detroit Zoo in our 96-year history! The baby is healthy and thriving under her attentive care and the supervision of our dedicated animal care team.”
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The baby gorilla has not yet been named, nor has the gender been announced.
The Detroit Zoo did, however, release a photo of the baby with mother Bandia. Father Mshindi was not pictured. The zoo now has five gorillas to go along with the 2,000-plus animals and more than 200 species housed at the sprawling facility.
The public won’t have a chance to see the baby for a while, though. Zoo officials say the gorilla area will be off limits for attendees until the animal care team determines that mother and baby are healthy enough to accept visitors.
The Associated Press reported that zoo staff spent months preparing the troop for its new young member, “even carrying a stuffed gorilla around the habitat to demonstrate how to carry the baby.”
The Detroit Zoo was the first U.S. zoo to provide bar-less habitats and is regarded as “an international leader in animal welfare, conservation and sustainability by the Detroit Zoological Society,” according to Wikipedia.
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