This baby gorilla is a proper cheeky monkey – after he was snapped sticking his tongue out while sporting a Mohican hairdo.
The cute western lowland gorilla was born on January 3, but zookeepers have only recently managed to get close enough to determine his sex.
He was born at Twycross Zoo in Atherstone, Warks., and yesterday posed for the cameras alongside proud mum Ozala.
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At first the critically endangered mum was so protective of her newborn that keepers were unable to get close to the baby.
Charlotte Macdonald, Curator of Living Collections at Twycross Zoo, said: “Ozala was so protective of her newborn infant that she held it very close and it is only now that the infant is bigger, and Ozala has become more relaxed, that we have been able to see the infant closely enough to determine its gender.
“The baby is a very important addition to the family and mum is confident and content enough to let dad, Oumbie, get a close look at the baby.
“He is very interested in his new son and in the future will play a very important role in helping him to develop.
“Ozala is still carrying the infant all the time and will continue to do so for some time.
“As the baby grows he will spend more and more time off mum but for the next couple of years he will never be far from her side.
“Baby is bright and active and is often seen awake sitting on his mum, while she grooms him or plays gently with him.”
Staff are yet to chose a name for their new gorilla but are inviting visitors to help them choose on their Facebook page.
The zoo is currently home to a family of western lowland gorilla so the little boy will grow up alongside his mum Ozala, dad Oumbie, grandma Biddi and auntie Asante.
* Twycross Zoo cares for almost 1,000 animals and is the only zoo in the UK to care for bonobos and every species of Great Ape.
