Newborn gorilla at NC zoo dies - photo included - warning, sad

[joeybee12]

North Carolina Zoo officials say the mother of a newborn western lowland gorilla may have rolled over her infant while she was asleep, killing the baby just days after his dramatic birth.

Zookeepers discovered the infant during a Tuesday night check. The baby was found in the arms of his mother, Acacia.

"Early indications are that it was most likely accidental. Primate mothers often lose their first baby due to inexperience or just accidentally. But they usually go on to successful births in the future,” Adrian Fowler, the zoo’s curator of mammals, said in a statement on the facility’s website.

"The staff believes Acacia may have just rolled over onto her newborn while sleeping," he said. "Gorillas face exactly the same risks during the early neonatal period as humans and, even in that field, the causes of early infant death often remain unknown."

[tammywammy]

1. Link?

[Autumn Colors]

2. Here's a link

http://www.today.com/pets/newborn-gorilla-nc-zoo-dies-6C10601668

[joeybee12]

4. Thanks...forgot to include it...nt

[tammywammy]

6. Thanks.

Very sad.

[ecstatic]

3. Interesting.

I think the zookeepers messed up in this case. The mom gorilla went through 24 hrs of labor, then had to be sedated for a c-section. She needed a lot of rest and more recovery time before being placed on mom duty. Poor thing.

[RudynJack]

5. Aww...

how sad. I hope she goes on to have more.

[pinboy3niner]

7. Meanwhile, baby gorilla Gladys gets a new mom...