Arkansas Blog: It's a boy!

The Little Rock Zoo's baby gorilla has been sexed. News release on the jump.

ZOO NEWS RELEASE

The Little Rock Zoo is proud to announce its newest gorilla addition, an infant born last week to gorillas Sekani and Fossey, is a boy. Keepers were unable to determine the sex of the infant immediately after its birth last Tuesday, but were able to glimpse at the "necessary parts" this weekend to determine the baby's sex. "There's no doubt about it. That gorilla baby is a boy!" exclaimed great ape keeper Daphne Brock Phieffer.

The baby has still not been given a name. Zoo staff say they are considering a public naming competition for the baby, but have not made a final decision.

Zoo staff also report that mother Sekani is taking good care of her infant and all members of the gorilla troop appear to be accepting and accommodating to the new arrival. Sekani and her new baby share qarters with Fossey, father of the infant, and Catherine, Sekani's troupe mate.

All Zoo gorillas are western lowland gorillas. The birth of Sekani's baby marks the fist time an infant gorilla has been born at the Little Rock Zoo.

The Little Rock Zoo will exhibit JJ, a 19-year-old male gorilla, Brutus, a 28-year-old male gorilla, and Trudy, a 50-year-old female gorilla.

Sekani, the baby, Catherine, and Fossey will not be on exhibit for next few weeks while the gorilla family adjusts to its latest addition. Sekani and her baby are expected make an appearance in the east gorilla yard in the next three to four weeks, dependent on weather and the health of the infant.

Comments

Aww.

(^ It's obligatory.)

Posted by: JD | October 17, 2006 06:58 PM

That looks like a smile, to me. He's very handsome. I'm sure Mama is proud.

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 08:53 PM

BTW, I'm pretty sure gorillas (and other animals) don't name their babies--"Bambi" notwithstanding. Individual animal identities are clear enough to their parents, peers and social group by scent (up close) and by appearance and association (farther off). Perhaps that's what they consider "names".

Nevertheless, we sense-deprived humans will have to call him something. I hope we come up with something good.

"Sekani" is not even an African name, and neither, of course, is "Fossey". What will Arkansans want to call him?

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 09:24 PM

OOOPS!!! I mean, what will ARKANSAWYERS want to call him? :-)

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 09:28 PM

I will name him George and I will hug him and squeeze him...
...and pat him and pet him and...
...and rub him and caress him and...

Posted by: starbuck | October 17, 2006 10:05 PM

"Curious" George was a monkey, not a gorilla.

If you're proposing to name him after either of our last two presidents by that name, please don't unsult this baby. Neither of them has the curiosity of a slug.

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 10:27 PM

It's a looney tunes reference widj.
Bugs, Daffy, abominable snowman...
wrong turn at albuquerque...

Posted by: starbuck | October 17, 2006 10:43 PM

As in "Which way did they go, George, which way did they go?"

Henceforth, I would ban the name "George" for humans and animals. It's still okay for cartoons, though. And saints who already have the name. If my name were George, I'd change it, forthwith.

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 10:49 PM

Sorry, widj...

I had a cool cat named George...he was a killer of all pests unwanted...made it through a fight with a fox, several racoons and a couple of dogs before finally crawling off to die with his dignity in Allsopp Park somewhere...but in life kept the house clear of pests and rodents...

George is a cool name...

Posted by: rosso | October 17, 2006 11:08 PM

It used to be, and still is for prior holders. It's disgraced for future holders, and if I were a present holder, I'd definitely change it.

I like cats, and my last was named Zoe. I compare all girls named Zoe to her. Not many measure up.

Posted by: widj | October 17, 2006 11:20 PM

I hear you, widj...

The proud name of my cat has been peed upon by Emperor Georgie Porgie...

But we can't let our disgust with current asses like...well, our President, to hamper any future decisions on names...

I mean, there are plenty of neo-cons out there trying to figure their way around stem cell research but have spent a gazillion bucks on trying to get pregnant without having sex...

George, George, George and George...

Posted by: rosso | October 17, 2006 11:29 PM

I'll support the name George for this baby as long as it's after the monkey and not you-know-who (because I do like the monkey, just not monkeyboy).

Posted by: widj | October 18, 2006 12:01 AM

I wonder how many people named their baby boys Adolf after WWII?

Posted by: Arkhobbit | October 18, 2006 11:24 AM

Arkansas Blog

It's a boy!

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