How adorable are these pictures of Taronga Zoo’s latest newborn?
The zoo’s chimpanzee family welcomed a new baby on the weekend – and mum Shiba is keeping the baby’s gender a closely-guarded secret.
Primate supervisor Lou Grossfeldt says the new baby was spotted in the chimpanzee’s night dens by keepers on Saturday morning, cradled in mother’s arms.
“Shiba has shown her calmness and great experience since the birth, cradling and shielding the infant, so much so that keepers haven’t been able to confirm the baby’s sex yet,” he says.
“The youngster is quite vocal when not dozing in its mother’s arms and appears very healthy.”
The new baby has a sister, Sembe, and two brothers, Shabani and Samaki, already in the group. Keepers will soon choose a name to fit in with the group that reflects the baby’s nature.
Image credit: Lisa Ridley