When the Mondika Gorilla Project team headed out to visit Kingo’s group a few days ago they were met with an exciting surprise. Mekome, one of the females in the group, came climbing down some lianas from the tree canopy. As she joined a five-year-old infant in the group on the forest floor, the research team heard a soft whining noise coming from Mekome’s belly. When they looked more closely, they could see that Mekome was carrying a new-born baby; as she passed by very close to the team, maybe to give the team a first introduction to her baby, they could see that the baby was no more than a few hours old.

Mekome, a very gentle female, was first identified as an adult female in Kingo’s group in 1999. We estimate that she is around 35 years old, and she is the only female who has been a member of the group since it was first identified by researchers almost 20 years ago. Her first recorded offspring was born in 2002, when she gave birth to a male called Decembre; that infant sadly died at only three years – an indication that the odds of survival can be slim for young gorillas in the wild. In 2005 she gave birth to a male, Ekendi, followed in 2010 by another male, Itephi, and in 2015 by yet another male, Stevi. Life can be cruel for a gorilla mother though, with both Stevi and Itephi dying during 2017; this new arrival is therefore a welcome addition to Kingo’s family.

Her only surviving offspring, Ekendi, stood by her side during the pregnancy, foraging and resting close to her. He has also been following her very closely since the baby arrived. Mekome protects the newborn from rain, branches and curious young gorillas. She stays close to Kingo while resting, building nests to make sleep more comfortable for her and her baby. She climbs up into the canopy to a height of between 30 and 40 meters, and amazingly the little newborn baby already has the strength to hold on to her on its own. Except when it is sleeping. Then Mekome holds the baby carefully against her chest, looking at it with what in humans we would call “love”. And who knows, maybe this time it’s a girl.

Good luck little one, and congratulations to Mekome and Kingo!