Baby chimp born at the Maryland Zoo to be named by the public

BALTIMORE -- A female chimp was born last month at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, the zoo said Tuesday, and the public will be able to name it.

The baby will be joining three other juvenile chimps -- five-year-old Lola, four-year-old Violet and three-year-old Maisie.

The Zoo said the baby chimp and her mother Rozi initially did well, but the infant's health began to decline within a few weeks. The zoo's care staff was concerned it was not receiving enough of the mother's milk, and took the infant into their care.

"Rozi is a hand-reared chimp and first time mom so we weren't sure what to expect," Pamela Carter, Chimpanzee Forest Area Manager at the Maryland Zoo, said. "In this case, it was in the baby's best interest for us to carefully intervene."

Veterinarians and keepers have been taking care of the baby until it is strong enough to rejoin Rozi and the chimp troop. Medical staff said they were pleased with the baby's progress, but anticipate the need for supplemental nutrition when she reunites with her mother.

Chimps learn from birth how to behave by watching their mothers and other troop members, the zoo said, like where to sleep, how to eat, how to groom and how to socialize.

The species in endangered, the zoo said, with only about 150,000 wild chimpanzees living in African forests today, compared to one to two million in 1900. Some reasons for being endangered include disease introduced by humans, poaching and habitat loss.

The baby does not have a name yet and the Maryland Zoo is going to let the public decide. Look out for updates about the baby's progress and when the naming contest will take place on the Zoo's website and its social media channels.