Baby Gorilla Unexpectedly Born At Hannover Zoo (VIDEO)

Germany's Hannover Zoo had expected a baby gorilla in time for Christmas, but zookeeper Klaus Meyer was surprised that it was a different mother than he had anticipated. The staff hadn't even known the mother, Kathi, was pregnant.

Hannover Zoo is part of the European Endangered Species Programme, which aims to save gorillas and other endangered animals from extinction. Almost every member of the ape family is currently listed as endangered or critically endangered on IUCN's Red List. The three biggest threats to apes are hunting, habitat loss, and disease.

WATCH:

Comments

[proudblackman]

01:03 PM on 12/23/2010

michelle?

[justan olnamvet]

05:24 PM on 12/22/2010

Christine ODonnell must be disappointed that the baby wasn't human.

[Tiggy]

04:50 PM on 12/22/2010

It is a shame that they must live in such a manner to merely survive! On the one hand, we are both their destroyer and on the other their savior. Regardless, they are far more human than we will ever be! It amazes me how all these animals live together in relative harmony, with all so called sophistication, a feat we have not yet mastered.

[booboo111]

04:43 PM on 12/22/2010

It's I.Q. has already surpassed Sarah's.

[cucumber]

04:04 PM on 12/22/2010

giving birth in prison, great.

I hope both of them can leave this world quickly and have some peace in de ath without the cruelty of humans.

[greenapt]

03:43 PM on 12/22/2010

WOW. This zoo sure goes all out on their gorilla enclosure!!!! Empty space with a few fake logs on the ground. How upsetting! I saw gorillas in the Bronx Zoo and they looked bored out of their mind. One was even rolling on it's back and gouged holes into his arm.

A zoo is no place for gorillas! They are one of our closes relatives, how dare we put them in a confined space and put them on display! That does nothing to help them in the wild.

[amantedelibros]

03:19 PM on 12/22/2010

How cute and how very sweet! Blessings to the little baby gorilla :)

[hoosier96]

03:15 PM on 12/22/2010

But here's what I want to know.

WHO'S THE FATHER?! Are they even married or does that matter in today's society?

[Nathaniel Calloway]

04:35 PM on 12/22/2010

Ha!

[Pleroma]

04:50 PM on 12/22/2010

Marriages happen everywhere. Some last for a few seconds, others for eternities!

[darr]

03:08 PM on 12/22/2010

Awww. Here's hoping for a healthy, long life for the little girl.
Now, is everyone getting the same advert at the beginning of this clip?
I got one that says that there is a bill or something out there that will choose who can go to college. What the .......sounds like TParty propaganda to me.
I am going to go research that right now.
Doesn anyone here know about this and can explain it?

[Mary Karius]

02:13 PM on 12/22/2010

YAY! Merry Christmas

[Paros]

02:12 PM on 12/22/2010

Why am I surprised?
HP headlines totally misleading again!!!!!!!!!

So much room for competition for HP - so much room.
I can only pray!!!!

[bignewf]

02:49 PM on 12/22/2010

If you are so disappointed, why do you keep coming back?
Dummy.

[Paros]

06:47 PM on 12/23/2010

I would love to see HP improve.
No need for name calling.

[PDXTransplant]

02:05 PM on 12/22/2010

Gorillas are awesome creatures.

[Pleroma]

01:29 PM on 12/22/2010

The gorilla living quarters look like a primitive prison. Not very forest-like.

[Tropiholic]

12:59 PM on 12/22/2010

kathy could appear on "i didn't know i was pregnant" what a beautiful story!

[PDXTransplant]

02:04 PM on 12/22/2010

HA! Good one.

[Nathaniel Calloway]

04:36 PM on 12/22/2010

yeah but she would make for a horrible interview. [insert rim shot here]

[texlib2112]

12:46 PM on 12/22/2010

This so cute to watch that my little girl keeps watching this video