Oklahoma City Zoo baby gorilla named
Here’s information from the Oklahoma City Zoo:
The infant, male gorilla born on Valentine’s Day at the Oklahoma City Zoo has been named Leom (pronounced LEE-UM). The name originated from the Zoo’s keepers to honor the newborn’s parents by combining the last two letters of his mother’s name, Kelele, and his father’s name, Bom Bom.
Leom is the first birth for Kelele, a 19-year-old Western lowland gorilla who has been with the troop since 2000. His father, Bom Bom, was a beloved Zoo favorite who died in July 2012 of cardiac arrest. Leom, with motherly care from Kelele, has been adjusting well to his habitat and other troop members including Tatu, Muke, Bo, George and Bakari. Zoo guests may be able to see Leom with his mother in the Great EscApe area. Weather parameters may limit his time outside.
With this recent addition, Great EscApe continues its involvement in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. One of the SSP’s most important roles is to manage gorillas as a population to ensure that the population remains healthy, genetically-diverse and self-sustaining.
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