Smithsonian’s National Zoo Celebrates Birth of Critically Endangered Western Lowland Gorilla

Washington, D.C. – In a moment of joy and hope, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) announced the birth of a western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species. The infant, born to 20-year-old mother Calaya and 31-year-old father Baraka, arrived between midnight and 6:15 a.m. on May 27. The successful breeding was carried out by a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). This marks the second offspring for both parents.