Baby gorilla will leave Seattle zoo. maternal bonding fails

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Baby gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, WA. (Photo courtesy of Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren)

SEATTLE - A baby gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo failed to bond with his mother and will be sent to be with a surrogate at another facility.

Members of the zoo say they have made the "critical decision" to move the six week old gorilla to another location to ensure he will be raised as a gorilla, by gorillas.

"Because [the baby's mother] Akenji hadn’t shown any interest in caring for her baby, human intervention was necessary; gorilla staff have been providing 24/7 care for the baby since shortly after he was born. Further attempts to unite mom and baby were unsuccessful," the zoo said in a statement.

The baby was born at the zoo on June 28, 2024. As efforts with the birth mother floundered, staff say they made multiple efforts to get the baby boy to bond with other gorillas within the facility. However, those efforts failed as well.

Baby gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, WA. (Photo courtesy of Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren)

Now, zoo employees are working with a list of potential surrogates from around the country to place the currently-unnamed baby with.

"We include this option in our birth management planning in case it becomes necessary. We’re confident the infant will be placed in a great home, and we’ll share final details upon his safe arrival," said Martin Ramirez, Interim Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo.

They say more information will become available soon on the results of these efforts to rehome the baby boy.