Historic 51st Gorilla Birth at Cincinnati Zoo: Celebrating Gladys' First Newborn!

Exciting news from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden! Twelve-year-old gorilla Gladys has welcomed her first offspring, a healthy baby boy born on September 20 at 8:32 a.m. Both mother and child are thriving. This marks the zoo's 51st gorilla birth.In preparation, a continual watch commenced four weeks prior, conducted by the Zoo Volunteer Observers (ZVOs) via remote monitoring. “They noted signs of labor early Saturday, and by 5:30 a.m., she was in active labor,” stated Ashley Ashcraft, head gorilla keeper. “A few hours later, we had the privilege of observing the birth quietly. Gladys has been incredibly attentive and is performing excellently. We are so proud of her.”Gladys, previously in need of human and gorilla surrogates, brought attention to herself last year when she received a pioneering 3D-printed titanium cast after an injury. The father, 23-year-old silverback Mbeli, is also new to parenthood and will provide protection while remaining largely hands-off. They're bonding privately while the keeper team invites name suggestions from the public via social media.