Baby gorillas are just about the cutest animals on earth. Though sadly, there are times their moms don't bond with them like they're supposed to. This recently happened with an infant gorilla named Abeo, but thankfully, The Louisville Zoo stepped in to help. Now, Abeo's future looks so bright.
In an August 20 TikTok video shared by @louisvillezoo , news of the baby's arrival is live. Take a look at how this magical event came to be!
@louisvillezoo Welcome Abeo! The Louisville Zoo is now caring for a male infant gorilla from the Woodland Park Zoo. The baby's mother, Akenji, was unable to bond with the newborn. The Louisville Zoo was chosen as the home for Abeo due to our team's experience and gorilla Kweli's successful rearing of Kindi after her mother passed away in 2016. Abeo will remain behind-the-scenes as he gets acclimated to his new home and introduced to the other residents of Gorilla Forest. #louisvillezoo #zoo #zoosoftiktok #gorilla #babygorilla
♬ original sound - Louisville Zoo
"Welcome Abeo! The Louisville Zoo is now caring for a male infant gorilla from the Woodland Park Zoo," the caption begins. "The baby's mother, Akenji, was unable to bond with the newborn. The Louisville Zoo was chosen as the home for Abeo due to our team's experience and gorilla Kweli's successful rearing of Kindi after her mother passed away in 2016. Abeo will remain behind-the-scenes as he gets acclimated to his new home and introduced to the other residents of Gorilla Forest."
The 2-minute clip shows Ron Evans, the General Curator at the Louisville Zoo, as he explains how Abeo came to be in their care, saying the Woodland Park Zoo tried other fosters for Abeo but it didn't work out.
They alerted the Gorilla Species Survival Plan who manages all the gorillas in North America and keeps track of their wellbeing. They decided the sweet little guy would do best at the Louisville Zoo, where they also have 10 human fosters who care for Abeo around the clock to prepare for his introduction to Kweli. Abeo, which means "brings happiness," is in great hands!
"OUR ZOO ROCKS!!! Welcome lil Abeo!!! I am already in," one person commented. "He’s so precious," another said. "Louisville zoo is doing great things this year!! Keep it up!!" another added.
This little cutie is going to love his new life with Kweli!
Related: Gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo Gets the World's First 3D-Printed Titanium Cast for Broken Arm
Fun Facts About Baby Gorillas
Gorillas are a fascinating breed, mostly because they share similar characteristics of humans. According to The Gorilla Fund , infant gorillas like Abeo are smaller than human babies when they're born, weighing just about 4 pounds! By the time they're fully gown, males can reach 300-485 pounds females get to 200-250 which is incredible!
Typically after birth, babies stay in close, physical contact with their moms for 5-6 months to keep them safe from harm. This is why it's especially important to find a foster mom if the biological mom isn't bonding with the baby.
Gorilla bonds run deep. It's not only Mom raising the little ones, but the whole group, which includes siblings and other juveniles. Also, research shows, baby gorillas don't know who their father is and they don't have a preference to spending time with a father versus other Silverbacks in a group. However, older males have been known to bond to and babysit infants even if it's not their baby, which is pretty cool.
We wish Abeo and his potential foster mom all the best in his new journey!
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