A baby gorilla born at the Jacksonville Zoo is being cared for by a surrogate mother.
Five-month-old Gandai is just as curious as any other baby.
Deputy zoo director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Dan Maloney, says staff are keeping a close eye on her and Bulera, the adult gorilla tasked with caring for her.
“She’s a really experienced mom, she’s also a really mellow mom,” said Maloney.
Bulera is not Gandai’s biological mom, that’s actually another gorilla named Kumbuka who is deaf.
Kumbuka has already lost two babies in the past and the zoo didn’t want to risk losing Gandai.
In order to get Gandai ready to meet her new mom, staff had to play mom – literally. They monitored her 24/7, taught her how to take a bottle and even how her to climb on their backs.
“They were doing their best to try to mimic what a mother gorilla would do,” said Maloney.
Making matters even more challenging is that the zoo doesn’t have a play book for how to deal with a case like this, this is the first case that they know of. Maloney said they’re putting together all the research they’ve done to eventually share it with other zoos.
Action News Jax obtained exclusive video of Gandai meeting Bulera’s other offspring for the first time, a huge step for her.
“We want her to be a fully integrated, fully adjusted, a full participant in this gorilla troop. This is her troop,” said Maloney.
If all goes as well as it’s going now, Gandai will soon join the rest of her family in the Africa Forest exhibit but for now, they’re taking it one day at a time.