Zoo Atlanta gorilla expecting a baby in late 2024

Zoo Atlanta announced Thursday that Kambera, the zoo's 25-year-old western lowland gorilla, is expecting a baby.

Why it matters: Western lowland gorillas are a critically endangered species due to habitat loss, poaching, illegal hunting for the bushmeat trade, and emerging diseases, according to Zoo Atlanta.

• These threats have reduced wild populations by 60% over a 25-year period, with declines of as much as 90% in some parts of western Africa, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

State of play: Zoo Atlanta says staffers first detected Kambera's pregnancy in April. She's expected to give birth between mid-November and mid-December.

• The father is Willie B. Jr., the only son of the legendary gorilla who became a city mascot from the 1960s to 2000s. This will be his second offspring.
• Kambera previously gave birth to one other offspring at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.

By the numbers: Kambera's infant will be the 26th gorilla born at Zoo Atlanta, which hosts one of North America's largest gorilla populations.

What they're saying: Gina Ferrie, Zoo Atlanta's vice president of collections and conservation, said in a statement that "Not only will this infant make an individual contribution to the long-term viability of a critically endangered species, but having two youngsters so close in age in the same troop will be a special joy."