Gorilla Thought to Be Male Gives Birth at Columbus Zoo

Zookeepers at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio were surprised when an 8-year-old Gorilla they thought was male gave birth last week.

Shawn Bell, the assistant curator for the gorilla's section, told USA Today that he received a call from a zookeeper who found Sully — the mother — and baby just as he arrived at work.

"One of our gorilla keepers for the day called me on the radio and said that Sully was holding their arm up and wanted me to come take a look at it. So I headed over there — it took me about three minutes. And when I came into the building, that keeper came out and said, 'It looks like Sully's holding a baby,' " Bell told USA Today.

"We were not planning on a gorilla pregnancy. We were managing Sully as a male gorilla, and so we definitely didn't expect Sully to have a baby gorilla," Bell added.

Previously, zookeepers had misidentified Sully's gender as male due to the challenge of determining the sex of young gorillas. Males and females are of similar size and lack prominent sex organs. Additionally, female gorillas exhibit few external signs of pregnancy, as mentioned in the zoo's blog.

"We're thrilled by the addition of another birth for this critically endangered species," a staff member stated. "As the 34th gorilla born here since 1956 when the Columbus Zoo became the first zoo in the world to welcome the birth of a baby gorilla, she's an important part of our work to conserve these magnificent animals."

The troop at the zoo, led by male gorilla Mac, now consists of 10 gorillas. Another troop at the zoo consists of five gorillas.

Starting Friday, visitors can celebrate the baby's birth by exploring the indoor gorilla habitat, which will be open to guests.

"To ensure their comfort, the gorillas will have access to different areas, including behind-the-scenes habitats," according to the blog.

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