Proud parents! Ten-day-old baby gorilla is held tightly in its mother’s arms as its father watches on at Dublin Zoo
- The baby’s 12-year-old mother Kafi was seen carrying her sleepy infant under one arm at Dublin Zoo
- While its father, nine-year-old Bangui, watched on Kafi could be seen playing with the baby on Thursday
- It is the 11th of the apes to have been born at the zoo since they set up a breeding program in the 1980s
- The gorilla was born just ten days ago and has been available for visitors to see since Tuesday
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The proud parents of Dublin Zoo’s newest arrival – a baby gorilla – have been closely watching over the infant as its mother holds it tightly.
The infant – which has yet to be named – is just ten days old and its sex has not yet been identified by its protective mother Kafi is keeping it so wrapped up.
In adorable pictures Kafi is seen with the baby gorilla slung under her forearm as she takes the sleeping infant around her enclosure with the father Bangui on Thursday.
The baby’s 12-year-old mother Kafi along with its nine-year-old father Bangui guard their new infant closely at Dublin Zoo on Thursday
Kafi gazes down at her new babu which holds on closely to her arm as she sits on the grassy floor of her enclosure alongside Bangui
The sleepy infant holds onto its mother’s thick forearms as she keeps her baby close by her side – she has kept the infant so tightly wrapped up zoo keepers have not yet been able to identify its sex
In another picture 12-year-old Kafi holds the little gorilla aloft over her head while nine-year-old Bangui nibbles on a stick of grass watching on.
When the youngster is eventually free from its mother’s grip, Dublin Zoo says it’s hoping to hold a naming competition in the coming weeks.
They tweeted last Friday: ‘The sex of the baby is still to be determined; it may be a number of weeks before Kafi lets her baby go for a check-up.
‘Once the team have determined the sex, there will be a naming competition to name the little one.’
Both mother and child were available from Tuesday for visitors to come and see.
Dublin Zoo’s Helen Clarke-Bennett, who is the team leader of the African Plains, said: ‘Kafi is doing a fantastic job so far as a first-time mother, keeping the young baby physically close in these crucial early stages.
Kafi plays with the baby holding it above her head by its limbs as the little one’s father watches on while chewing a stick of long grass
Kafi strolls around her enclosure with the baby expertly held by her giant hand as she keeps it safe at the enclosure in Dublin
The baby gorilla (pictured in its mother’s arm) is the 11th born at the zoo since they began a breeding program in the 1980s
‘Kafi seems comfortable and at ease and we expect her to mix with the rest of the gorilla troop very soon.’
The gorilla is the 11th born at the zoo since they began a breeding program in the 1980s, the Irish Times reported.
Bangui was brought to the zoo in 2018 following the death of the longstanding alpha male Harry, the paper reported.