Bristol Zoo keepers hand-rear baby gorilla after feeding problems

  • Watch the baby gorilla learning to crawl.

A two-month-old baby gorilla at Bristol Zoo is having to be hand-reared after its mother struggled to feed him.

The infant western lowland gorilla is being bottle-fed by keepers after his mother Kala found looking after him a challenge. 

The baby was not getting enough milk to survive so a small team of experienced keepers are now caring for him day and night.

Keepers are doing their best to keep him in sight and smell of the rest of the troop.

During the day, the baby gorilla is being looked after in the Gorilla House to allow Kala and the other gorillas to see him and ensure he continues to be accepted as a member of the family. 

Keepers are taking round the clock care of this infant gorilla. Credit: Bristol Zoo Gardens

But at night, the animal is being cared for by keepers in zoo-owned accommodation onsite.

This will continue for the next four months, by which time keepers then hope the infant will be ready to return to the group.

In the meantime, Bristol Zoo is looking for a name for the baby gorilla - and they want the public's help.

People are being asked to help choose between this shortlist of names in a poll on their Facebook page.

The names are:

  • Motuku - means ‘Chief of the Village’ in Bubi (local language in Equatorial Guinea)

  • Hasani – means ‘Handsome’ in Swahili

  • Luango – town/city on the coast of Equatorial Guinea

  • Kidosi - popular African name, particularly in Central Africa


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