A video of a young gorilla mom named Calaya bonding nicely with her newborn son has melted hearts across several social media platforms.
According to the story, the 15-year-old gorilla at the Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, was closely monitored by zoo staff both during her pregnancy and after birth to ensure that she accepted the infant and took up motherly roles.
Amazingly, the first-time mom delicately picked up her newborn son after giving birth and couldn’t stop showering him with kisses.
Gorillas, like most mammals, generally have strong maternal instincts, and instances of mothers rejecting their newborns are relatively rare. However, there can be various reasons why a gorilla mother might reject her newborn, such as if the infant is sick or weak, if the mother is inexperienced or stressed, or if there are disruptions to the social dynamics within the group. The two latter occasions relate to Calaya as she is a first-time mom giving birth in captivity.
In such cases, zookeepers or wildlife experts may intervene to provide care for the infant or to help reintegrate it with the mother if possible.
