First glimpse of a precious baby:
We have just received our first glimpse of a precious baby gorilla born at a well-loved wildlife park in Kent. Howletts Wild Animal Park, located just outside of Canterbury, is thrilled to be celebrating the arrival of a new infant western lowland gorilla.
Arriving just before the festive season, the little one was born to Sanki and Djanghou, two gorillas with a long history at the park. This new arrival is a massive milestone, marking the 155th gorilla birth across Howletts and its sister park, Port Lympne, combined. It is a true family affair, as both parents were actually born at Howletts themselves; Sanki arrived in 1998, and Djanghou was born back in 1993.
Tracing the family tree:
Sanki is the daughter of Kifu, a silverback who still lives at Howletts, and Sounda, who sadly passed away in 2007. Djanghou, meanwhile, is the son of Djala—a silverback who was released back into the wild in the Congo in 2013 through the park’s rewilding project—and Sangha, a female currently living with the troop at Port Lympne.
This latest little addition is the fourth baby born to Sanki and Djanghou together. All told, Sanki has welcomed four children during her lifetime, while Djanghou has now fathered an impressive nine offspring.
Big sister Soundi:
Keepers have shared that the baby gorilla is already getting plenty of love and attention, especially from big sister Soundi. Because this is the first time Soundi has been able to watch a baby being raised up close, wildlife experts believe this is a priceless learning experience. It is giving her a chance to observe and prepare for her own potential journey into motherhood down the road.
