A gorilla baby rejected by its mother has been put to sleep at Hellabrunn Zoo. The female newborn was apparently born on the night of December 31 and was not adopted by the mother or other animals in the group, the zoo said. The young animal was severely hypothermic and very weak, and its general condition continued to deteriorate. Experts from veterinary medicine, nursing, management and the veterinary authority had therefore unanimously decided to redeem the newborn.
Keepers discovered the female early in the morning on New Year’s Eve. According to the zoo, they were able to quickly identify 35-year-old Neema as the mother, whose pregnancy had not previously been noticed. Attempts to interest the gorilla lady in her cub failed. A possible reason could be the weak condition of the baby.
“It is known from nature that wild animals recognize very early on whether their offspring is healthy and whether rearing has a chance of success,” said zoological director Carsten Zehrer. “This behavior, which is harsh from a human point of view, secures important energy resources for the mother animal in the wild, which would be used up if rearing was unsuccessful.” According to initial findings, the little one suffered, among other things, from bleeding in the head and advanced navel inflammation.