After a surprise birth: the Munich zoo has to put a sick gorilla baby to sleep

Created: 01/03/2023, 09:00

By: Katarina Amtmann

A baby gorilla had to be put to sleep at Hellabrunn Zoo (archive image).

© IMAGO / Reinhard Kurzendörfer

Surprisingly, a gorilla baby was born at Hellabrunn Zoo shortly before New Year's Eve.

But the newborn had to be put down.

Munich – Sad news from the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich.

A baby gorilla rejected by its mother has been euthanized

Tierpark Hellabrunn: Baby gorilla is not accepted by mother

The female newborn was apparently born on the night of December 31st.

It was not accepted by the mother or other animals in the group, as the zoo announced on Monday, January 2nd.

The young animal was severely hypothermic and very weak, and its general condition continued to deteriorate.

Experts from veterinary medicine, care, management and the veterinary authority had therefore decided unanimously to redeem the newborn.

Keepers had discovered the female early in the morning on New Year's Eve.

According to the zoo, they were able to quickly identify the 35-year-old Neema as their mother.

Her pregnancy had not previously been noticed.

Attempts to interest the gorilla lady in her cub failed.

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Munich Zoo: sick gorilla baby put to sleep

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, saves the mother animal important energy resources in the wild, which would be used up if it were not reared successfully." According to initial findings, the little one suffered from bleeding in the head and advanced navel infection, among other things.