Little Joanne is now five months old and eating solids, including kale and grapes
•
Like an active, healthy little one, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s baby gorilla is growing by leaps and bounds, now sitting and eating on her own.
According to zookeepers, 5-month-old Joanne is as curious as can be these days. When she’s not riding on her mother Imani’s back, she spends time crawling and foraging.
Keepers said Joanne is alert and active, taking fewer naps throughout the day. She has also started sampling solid foods, mainly fruits and vegetables, now that she has about eight teeth with which to chow down.
Tammy Spratt/San Diego Zoo Safari Park
On Mar. 25, 2014, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s newest baby gorilla ventured outdoors into her habitat with her mother, Imani. The doting mom held on tightly to her baby girl, cradling and nursing her little one inside an alcove. The mother and daughter were physically re-introduced to one another for the first time since the baby’s birth just 24 hours before this latest adventure.
Tammy Spratt/San Diego Zoo Safari Park
On Mar. 25, 2014, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s newest baby gorilla ventured outdoors into her habitat with her mother, Imani. The doting mom held on tightly to her baby girl, cradling and nursing her little one inside an alcove. The mother and daughter were physically re-introduced to one another for the first time since the baby’s birth just 24 hours before this latest adventure.
Tammy Spratt/San Diego Zoo Safari Park
While Imani tended to her 13-day-old baby, other gorillas in the troop showed interest in the baby. This included Imani’s 2-year-old son, Monroe, who walked up to mother and baby as the little one nursed.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla – who has yet to be named – was born on Mar. 12 after an emergency C-section at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla – who has yet to be named – was born on Mar. 12 after an emergency C-section at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla – who has yet to be named – was born on Mar. 12 after an emergency C-section at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
While Imani tended to her 13-day-old baby, other gorillas in the troop showed interest in the baby. This included Imani’s 2-year-old son, Monroe, who walked up to mother and baby as the little one nursed.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The 18-year-old mother, Imani, nurses her baby for the first time March 24.
The baby was placed on a pile of hay so she could meet her mom on March 24.
Surveillance video captures the moment when Imani first held her baby.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
On Mar. 21, 2014, the baby gorilla was re-introduced to her mother, Imani. This was the first time the two had been reunited face-to-face since the birth.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A zookeeper holds the baby gorilla as the animal's mother, Imani, comes up to a protective barrier to check out her young on Mar. 21, 2014.
Tammy Spratt, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The newborn gorilla female takes her first bottle of infant formula on March 19, 2014.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's baby gorilla during her very first bottle feeding on Mar. 19, 2014.
San Diego Zoo Global
The baby gorilla was diagnosed and treated for pneumonia a few days after her birth.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla, just days after her birth in San Diego.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla, just days after her birth in San Diego.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
An animal care specialist cradles the newborn baby gorilla, who was diagnosed and treated for pneumonia just days after her birth at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla was diagnosed and treated for pneumonia just days after her birth at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla was diagnosed and treated for pneumonia just days after her birth at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
The baby gorilla was born to mother Imani via emergency C-section on Mar. 12, 2014 -- a rare procedure for the animal kingdom.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby gorilla was born to mother Imani via emergency C-section on Mar. 12, 2014 -- a rare procedure for the animal kingdom.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby girl was born via emergency C-section at San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Mar. 12, 2014.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby girl was born via emergency C-section at San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Mar. 12, 2014.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby girl was born via emergency C-section at San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Mar. 12, 2014.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The baby girl was born via emergency C-section at San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Mar. 12, 2014.
Her favorite foods, by the way, are currently kale and grapes cut in half. She often watches her mother intently as she eats, mimicking those behaviors and picking up fruits and veggies of her own.
But, while she’s enjoying the tastiness of solids, keepers said the baby gorilla’s primary source of nutrition continues to be from nursing.
Safari Park keeper Jami Pawlowski said the gorilla is beginning to crawl away from her mother a bit, testing her limits.
"Imani always keeps her eye on her but Joanne is testing out her independence and seeing how far she can get," Pawlowski explained. “We’re seeing Joanne be more and more active.”
Keepers said Joanne shares her habitat with seven other gorillas, including 3-year-old Monroe and 6-year-old Frank. Although Imani remains very protective of her baby, the mother will sometimes let Frank hold Joanne. Monroe often tries to play with the baby, poking and peering at Joanne before running away.
Joanne was born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on March 12 via rare emergency C-section. Two days later, she suffered a collapsed lung and had to undergo treatment. She received around-the-clock care until she made a full recovery.
Since then, she’s been growing stronger by the day, getting to know other members of the gorilla troop and sharing important bonding time with her mother.
Joanne – named in honor of Joanne Warren, the first chairwoman of the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global – was Imani’s first baby and the 17th gorilla to be born at Safari Park. The facility currently houses eight gorillas. Two male gorillas in the troop, Monroe and Frank, were also born in San Diego in 2011 and 2008, respectively.
