Audubon Zoo announced the death of its infant gorilla yesterday. The young primate was less than one day old. The veterinarians do not yet know the cause of death, but are conducting additional examinations.
Tumani, the 18-year-old mother, is being closely monitored by Audubon’s animal care and veterinary teams, according to a zoo official. She is a western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species native to the Congo Basin.
This was Tumani’s second pregnancy and her second loss. Okpara, the silverback father, and Tumani’s infant from their first pregnancy died in 2020 due to an unexpected medical condition with the mother.
Scientists have observed expressions of grief in gorillas in the wild. In the hours and days following a death, the pack may gather around the body and touch it. Some male gorillas have shown “antagonistic behaviors” towards the body of a diseased gorilla in its pack, including chest beating, vocalizing and hitting.
The infant gorilla was not due until next month. The zoo hosted a baby shower for Tumani last weekend. There are currently four gorillas at Audubon Zoo, and only one male. In the wild, female gorillas typically reproduce every four to five years.
There are fewer than half a million western gorillas left in the world. Over three generations, western lowland gorillas are set to lose 80% of their population, according to estimates from the International Union for Conservation of Nature.