A ‘male’ gorilla at a renowned US zoo defied traditional expectations by giving birth to a healthy girl, wowing zoo-goers and wildlife enthusiasts alike. The unexpected turn in the story of nature has amazed and delighted visitors and zookeepers alike.
Sully, a gorilla who has resided at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio with her mother since 2019, was considered male until the gorilla care team discovered her holding the surprise baby gorilla early Thursday, according to an Instagram post.
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- It’s an unimaginable miracle: ‘male’ gorilla gives birth to a girl
- Confused? This is what the experts have to say
It’s an unimaginable miracle: ‘male’ gorilla gives birth to a girl
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The zoo posted on its official Instagram account to give more details about the situation. They also mentioned that this was a “lovely” surprise for them. “Today, we have an amazing surprise for all of you! The unexpected birth of a baby gorilla has added to our gorilla family! But here’s the amazing part: our dedicated keepers recently discovered that the proud mother, previously thought to be a male gorilla, is actually a female gorilla. What an unexpected ending! The Congo and Animal Health teams have been monitoring Sully and her baby, and everything is going great,” they said.
Instagram/Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The zoo went on to say that while the young gorilla’s birth was unexpected, it “highlights the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures and their habitats.” Gorillas are “endangered in the wild due to deforestation, habitat loss and the devastating illegal bushmeat trade,” they warned.
Instagram/Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Confused? This is what the experts have to say
The zoo also explained the uncertainty in a blog post, explaining that determining the sex of newborn gorillas is difficult. Males and females are comparable in size and lack obvious sexual organs until they are eight years old. Only as they get older do their sexual differences become apparent. Sully’s birthplace had a hands-off approach, so her gender was not revealed before.
“It is difficult to discern the gender of juvenile gorillas. Males and females are about the same size until about age eight and lack visible sex organs. Gorillas become sexually dimorphic as they age, meaning males and females look significantly different. Males, on the other hand, do not develop their characteristic enormous stature, silvery backs, and large head bumps (called sagittal crests) until 12 years or older,” the researchers noted in a blog post.
Sully, the proud mother, takes care of her son and the vets will perform a wellness test to ensure the baby’s well-being. The baby is a girl, according to the zoo team.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn