Baby Gorilla Takes First Steps At London Zoo (VIDEO)

A baby gorilla taking his first steps - does life get any cuter?! A 3-month old gorilla nicknamed "Tiny" took his first wobbly steps at the London Zoo this week, reports the Today Show. Born in October, Tiny is the first gorilla to be born at the zoo in 20 years - every birth is important, as the gorillas are a threatened species. Tiny is already one foot tall, and will soon need a new name.

Of course, baby animals taking their first steps is nothing new. The Hagenbeck Zoo caught baby elephant Rani's first steps on camera, and if steps aren't good enough, baby animals also look pretty cute when they take their first swim!

WATCH the baby gorilla's first steps:

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Comments

[chickenflu4]

01:04 AM on 02/21/2011

why not send him to school and see whether he can study. it will be a good experiment

[13th Generation American]

06:40 PM on 02/17/2011

I bet it wasn't easy for Noah to Gorillas onto the Arc.

[plugnpillai]

03:30 PM on 02/17/2011

Just a glimpse into one species that we keep in captivity for our pleasure.
http://www.helpelephants.com/worst_zoos_hall_of_shame_2010.html

[Lori Marino]

03:23 PM on 02/17/2011

What an absolute tragedy that as we watch this baby's first steps we know that he will lead a life deprived of everything that makes gorilla life in the wild so beautiful.

[shutterbabe]

09:15 PM on 02/17/2011

You sound like a very compassionate person, Lori. I have trouble with the captivity issue as well.

[JBDenver]

03:13 PM on 02/19/2011

Except a tire swing...

[Brian Gorrell]

11:34 AM on 02/17/2011

I LOVE this footage of the beautiful bond- but I deplore any animals in zoo captivity.
I know it's important for this reason and that reason... but I never like seeing it.
Beluga whales (anything really) in aquariums make my cry.
BUT the fact that the Gorilla had a baby in captivity is impressive so the zoo must be doing things right by her.
(except the captivity)

[plugnpillai]

03:22 PM on 02/17/2011

I couldn't agree more with you. Never gave it much thought when i was young, but now I know better. I started hating zoos when I realized how they keep elephants, and even breed them to bring in more revenue. Absolutely horrible life for the elephants. And of course, almost all the other species as well. Orcas, dolphins, belugas, primates, list is endless. These days, I step into a zoo or Sea World to protest.

Just another industry - outdated, dinosauric, and so immensely commercialized.

[Lori Marino]

03:25 PM on 02/17/2011

Reproduction in captivity isn't as good an indicator of welfare as one would think because the techniques they use are so artificial that they practically strong-arm the whole process. It does not indicate that the animals are thriving.

[JanPoore]

11:23 AM on 02/17/2011

That was truly adorable, but the second video after that of the homeless men paired with homeless dogs is awe inspiring. Not sure why HP didn't pick that one.

[Soulfest]

11:16 AM on 02/17/2011

Some people believe that animals do not have a "soul," or emotions, etc...And some people attribute "human" emotions to the behaviors of animals, Anthropomorphism...I look at this and can not see or find any difference between the way this mother and her baby interact from any human mother and baby, if this does not illustrate the "humanity" of animals then I don't know what does. The social structures and the cultures of animals is no less than of humans. I personally like and respect animals more.

[SukiTheCat]

02:42 PM on 02/17/2011

totally

[Lovelyblue]

10:59 AM on 02/17/2011

aww too cute :)

[Gebby]

10:28 AM on 02/17/2011

We can be proud as human beings that we hold such compassion and empathy for a truly amazing creature that shares this planet with us. we must fight the ignorant that would be threatened to see such similarities between humans and this amazing baby animal.

[Canuknotusa]

10:11 AM on 02/17/2011

Too depressing for words.

[JanPoore]

11:24 AM on 02/17/2011

What? A baby gorilla taking its first steps is depressing to you?

[Canuknotusa]

01:11 PM on 02/17/2011

So ... if the video was a small human child taking his first steps - inside a cage - and you knew he'd never be free to live his life freely, in the open, and with other free humans ... wouldn't it make you feel depressed?

Or would you say, "How cute!" ???

[plugnpillai]

03:25 PM on 02/17/2011

Amen! same thing I feel when everybody ooh-aahs over a baby elephant. Extremely distressing birthing for the lonely elephant. And another captive elephant.

[Dewts]

10:07 AM on 02/17/2011

looks like my cousin.

[sugarmoes]

01:48 PM on 02/17/2011

i'm sorry your cousin is gee duhbyuh bush. that must be tough.

[JBDenver]

03:17 PM on 02/19/2011

For a minute I though you were gonna say it reminded you of your ashtray.

[LibertarianJon]

09:49 AM on 02/17/2011

Artie?? Is that you??

[Dewts]

10:08 AM on 02/17/2011

artie proved himself immortal.

[Robert Frank]

09:44 AM on 02/17/2011

what a cute little whippersnapper !! its too bad ALL animals couldn't be respected like this instead of used and abused for food, entertainment , medical experiments, fur, and every other way humans have found to treat animals like inanimate property to be thrown away or tortured at their leisure

[KickstandCat]

09:43 AM on 02/17/2011

Gorilla's are the BEST.

[GirlUsingBrain]

09:37 AM on 02/17/2011

Delightful!!