AVONDALE, Ohio (WKRC) – A 30-year-old lowland gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo is pregnant for the first time after spending years helping raise other gorillas’ babies, a milestone that zoo staff say is part of a decades-long effort to rebuild the species’ population.
The zoo announced earlier this month that Chewie is expecting. She has long been known for her role as a surrogate and “fun, engaging aunt” within the zoo’s gorilla troops, including helping care for Mboka Joe, who was born last September to Gladys.
“I believe I actually screamed when I saw the pregnancy test. We were so excited,” said Victoria Morelli, the zoo’s zoology manager for primates.
Chewie’s path to motherhood comes after a difficult start to life. Born at the Cincinnati Zoo, she became critically ill as an infant and needed human care for a period of time, followed by a surrogate gorilla mother. As an adult, she became a surrogate herself for many baby gorillas, with staff pointing to interactions such as grooming as important for teaching young gorillas life and social skills…