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I wonder if I am allergic to gorilla fur?
Zoo baby gorilla dumped by mom is doing fine
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The gorilla, born Dec. 8, has been a nonstop challenge to his keepers, largely because his mother, Monifa, decided motherhood was a big nuisance and abandoned the infant shortly after giving birth.
To that end, a comfy double bed has been installed and keepers take turns cuddling the 11-pound baby gorilla through the night, feeding him human baby formula from a bottle and occasionally changing a diaper.
A 2-month-old gorilla goes through only two diapers a day, keepers say. A baby human can go through half a package.
The gorilla also likes to play with human baby toys such as rattles and rings. He does not seem to mind having been dumped by mom, although keepers concede that they have no real way of knowing.
And he enjoys having his tummy rubbed by keeper and surrogate gorilla mom Rachel Simpson, who draws full salary for sleeping through the night with a baby gorilla on her chest.
Head gorilla keeper Corinne MacDonald said she hopes to introduce the baby to the rest of the troop as early as May, although he will need to be fed from a bottle for another two years.
"He's a champ," said MacDonald. "He's extremely confident, calm and amazing, and he's ahead of schedule."
Zoo baby gorilla dumped by mom is doing fine
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The gorilla, born Dec. 8, has been a nonstop challenge to his keepers, largely because his mother, Monifa, decided motherhood was a big nuisance and abandoned the infant shortly after giving birth.
To that end, a comfy double bed has been installed and keepers take turns cuddling the 11-pound baby gorilla through the night, feeding him human baby formula from a bottle and occasionally changing a diaper.
A 2-month-old gorilla goes through only two diapers a day, keepers say. A baby human can go through half a package.
The gorilla also likes to play with human baby toys such as rattles and rings. He does not seem to mind having been dumped by mom, although keepers concede that they have no real way of knowing.
And he enjoys having his tummy rubbed by keeper and surrogate gorilla mom Rachel Simpson, who draws full salary for sleeping through the night with a baby gorilla on her chest.
Head gorilla keeper Corinne MacDonald said she hopes to introduce the baby to the rest of the troop as early as May, although he will need to be fed from a bottle for another two years.
"He's a champ," said MacDonald. "He's extremely confident, calm and amazing, and he's ahead of schedule."
-Tallahassee 
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