Gorilla mother cradles and kisses newborn at zoo

A critically endangered male western lowland gorilla was born on April 15 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C.

The newborn has been named Moke, which means “junior” or “little one” in the Lingala language. His 15-year-old mother, Calaya, and 26-year-old father, Baraka, bred in summer 2017 following a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.

This is the first time in nine years that the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are celebrating the birth of a male lowland gorilla. The species is listed as critically endangered due to disease and poaching, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The mother, Calaya, has been observed nursing the infant as he clings closely to her. The great ape house in the zoo is being closed to provide Calaya with a quiet space to bond with her infant and animal care staff are leaving her to care for the baby without interference.