Baby gorilla born at Bristol Zoo

As the Wow! Gorilla sculptures enjoy their last day on display at Bristol Zoo, a real life baby western lowland gorilla has been born in their midst.

The baby was born at lunchtime yesterday by natural birth to Salome, and both mother and baby appear to be doing well.

The Gorilla House has been temporarily closed to allow the gorillas, including dad Jock, time to bond with the new arrival.

Senior Curator of Animals, John Partridge, said: "We are thrilled with the arrival of a baby gorilla. It is still very early days, but Salome is a great mother and has been cradling and cuddling her baby affectionately. We are pleased to say that both Salome and the baby are doing well.

"Salome keeps the baby very close and we are keen to give the gorillas space, therefore it is still too early to determine the sex of the baby. Naturally the gorilla keepers will keep a very close eye on mother and baby in these crucial first few days and weeks to ensure that they, along with the rest of the gorilla group, are healthy, content and bonding well."

To see a video of the new baby visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgQepJ2il30

This is the third baby Salome has had at Bristol Zoo. Her last baby, Komale, was born in December 2006 following a course of ground-breaking fertility treatment. This time however, Salome conceived her baby naturally.