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In a shocking twist ‘male’ gorilla gives birth to baby at US zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in the US took to Instagram to share a series of pictures of the ‘male’ gorilla and the newborn baby.
Have you ever come across situations that initially seem shocking but as the dust settles, they turn out to be adorable too? That is exactly what happened with the zookeepers at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, US. They suddenly discovered a ‘male’ gorilla inmate nursing a baby. After looking into the matter further, they realised that what they initially believed to be a male of gorilla was actually a female.
How did the ‘male’ gorilla give birth to a baby girl?
The zoo took to their official Instagram profile to share about the incident in detail. They also added how this came as an “adorable” surprise to them. “We have an adorable surprise to share with all of you today! Our gorilla family just got a little bigger with the unexpected birth of a female baby gorilla! But here's the other incredible part: our dedicated keepers recently discovered that the proud mom, who was initially believed to be a male, is actually a female gorilla. Talk about a surprise twist! The Congo and the Animal Health care teams have been observing Sully and her baby and things are going very well,” they wrote.
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What is the importance of this birth for the species?
The zoo further elaborated that this is a surprise but welcomed the birth of the baby gorilla as it “shines a spotlight on the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures and their habitats.” They added that the gorillas are “endangered in the wild due to deforestation, habitat loss, and the devastating illegal bushmeat trade”.
The zoo further shared a series of pictures of this proud mom and her newborn:
The post was shared a day ago on July 21. Since being shared, it has accumulated close to 10,000 likes. Additionally, people have posted various comments while reacting to the post. Many asked how the zookeepers or the vets at the place were unable to tell the gender of Sully.
What are experts saying about this confusion?
The zoo further shared a blogpost explaining the incident in detail and also how the confusion happened. “It’s hard to tell the sex of younger gorillas. Until about age 8, males and females are about the same size, and they don’t have prominent sex organs. As gorillas age, they become sexually dimorphic, meaning males and females look very different. However, males don’t develop their characteristic large size, silver backs, and large head bumps (called sagittal crests) until age 12 or later,” they wrote. Moreover, the place where she was born had a hands-off approach and her gender was not discovered sooner.
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How is Sully and her baby?
Mom Sully is taking good care of her newborn. Vets will eventually conduct a wellness exam to check the baby’s heath. And the good news is that the zoo team confirmed that it is a girl.
What are your thoughts on this incredible piece of news? Did the birth of a new baby gorilla that also came with a surprise gender reveal of its mother leave you surprised?
