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SF Zoo To Use Surrogate Mom For Newborn Gorilla

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Dec 10, 2008 6:48 pm US/Pacific

SF Zoo To Use Surrogate Mom For Newborn Gorilla

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ― Curators and veterinarians at the San Francisco Zoo announced Wednesday that a mother gorilla showed no interest in raising her newborn and they will stabilize the infant with a surrogate mother.

The mother gorilla Monifa gave birth to the baby on Monday but showed signs of detachment, such as leaving the nest and not returning for the day.

Jacqueline Jencek, chief of veterinary services at the zoo, said Monifa's actions demonstrated that she was not ready for motherhood and that staff had to step in.

After monitoring the infant overnight, the veterinary and primate teams pulled the baby male gorilla from the nest to provide him with supportive care.

"It's a critical time for the infant and we are having to make hard decisions,'' Jencek said.

On Tuesday the veterinary staff anaesthetized Monifa, placed the baby on her chest and woke her slowly hoping she would embrace her son.

Instead she inspected him briefly, moved as far away as possible and built a new nest.

Zoo officials said risks are involved but in the meantime they are focusing on the well-being of the mom, the infant and maintaining the dynamics of the group.

(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

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