Calgary Zoo prepares ahead of expected arrival of baby gorilla in spring of 2022
The Calgary Zoo's western lowland gorilla troop is expected to grow in numbers in the coming months.
Zoo officials announced Tuesday that Dossi, a 20-year-old gorilla, is pregnant with her first baby.
The due date is set for late-April or early May 2022, but there is cautious optimism ahead of the arrival.
"Gorilla pregnancies are more likely to be unsuccessful the first time," said Jamie Dorgan, the zoo's director of animal care, health and welfare. "There are lots of challenges ahead of us but the animal care, health and welfare team will be supporting Dossi every moment along the way.
"Our goal is to create an optimal environment for her to deliver a healthy infant, where she can calmly and instinctively care for her baby while also navigating troop family dynamics."
The last successful gorilla birth at the zoo occurred in 2016 with the arrival of Kimani.
Dossi has been a member of the zoo's gorilla family since May 2009. The zoo will not separate her from the troop when she gives birth as it could potentially cause additional stress to her.
The western lowland gorilla is considered a critically endangered species due to poaching and habitat destruction primarily as a result of coltan mining for cell phone production.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.