Gorilla twins

08augustus2013
Source text and photo: burgerszoo.nl
Imagine the zookeepers' surprise when, in mid-June, they saw not one, but two gorilla babies with their mother, N'Gayla. She was known to be pregnant - but the birth of gorilla twins is very rare.
Fortunately, N’Gayla is an experienced mother. Born herself at Burgers’ Zoo, she has already raised three youngsters successfully. The last two daughters still live in the group there. Her twins are still very small and helpless, as is always the case with gorilla babies. Mother N’Gayla will have her hands full with her twins. The father, Bauwi (23 years old), is the patriarch of the family, and won’t be involved in the care of his son and daughter.

The birth of these gorilla babies was earlier than expected; the due date was calculated to be later in the summer. The keepers didn’t realise at first that there were two babies. Twins are born less frequently to gorillas than to humans. In European zoos, gorilla twins are born only once or twice every ten years.