The birth watch has begun for Akenji, a western lowland gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo. That means zookeepers are watching the mama-to-be closely for signs that her labor has begun. In fact, they’ve been watching and working with Akenji for months to help prepare her for parenting, including providing breastfeeding hints with a burlap doll.
According to the zoo, gestation for a gorilla is about nine months, just like it is for humans. A birth watch for great apes typically begins a week before the birth window opens, but the baby may not arrive for two or even three weeks.
Around the clock watch
The birth watch means Akenji is now monitored 24 hours a day. Zoo volunteers observe Akenji remotely overnight, using cams installed in her bedroom. They also collect data such as behavioral changes and sleeping patterns and look for any signs that might indicate the onset of labor.
“A gorilla keeper is on call to respond in case Akenji goes into labor in the middle of the night,” the zoo announced in an update. “During the day, routine care for all the zooās gorillas continues with an extra close watch on her when sheās in the outdoor habitat with her family.
Excitement around the big day
āEvery birth of a gorilla is exciting for the zoo family and our community. Weāve seen hundreds of zoo members and visitors gather at the gorilla habitat seeking out Akenji and her pregnant belly,ā said Rachel Vass, Interim Animal Care Manager at Woodland Park Zoo. āWhile gorillas characteristically have big bellies because of the high volume of fiber in their diet, Akenjiās belly is noticeably bigger, especially when sheās resting on her side. As Akenji nears parturition, sheās more tired. Weāve prepared her as much as we can for a successful birth and to provide good maternal behavior, especially as a first-time mom.ā
Want to learn more about how zookeepers help prepare a gorilla to be a parent? Check out our article “Waiting for the baby gorilla at Woodland Park ZooāA Read-Aloud!” It’s a great way to introduce kids to the subject.
But wait, there’s more!
It turns out WPZ is expecting a baby orangutan this summer as well. Whe expectant mom Batu (baw-too) delivers in late August or early September it will be the first orangutan birth at the zoo i nearly 35 years. The gestation period for orangutans is also about nine months. Female orangutans don’t often have babies back to backāgenerally its seven to nine years before a sibling comes alongāand the development period for infant orangutans is the longest of all the primites. Young ones depend on their moms for nursing and transport for the the first three to four years of life.
āBatu doesnāt have direct experience being around a baby orangutan, but she was completely reared by her mother where she was born and, therefore, has good personal experience to draw from,ā said Libby Lawson, an animal keeper at Woodland Park Zoo, in a recent zoo release. āBatuās intelligence, confidence, and independent personality were most certainly nurtured by her mother. We believe her strong relationship with mate Godek and her motherās mentorship have equipped Batu for this significant period in her life.ā

Batu, a Sumatran orangutan, is due to give birth to her first baby in late August/early September. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / Woodland Park Zoo
Join the watch
Current zoo hours are 9:30 a.m.ā6:00 p.m. daily.
Read more:
Waiting for the baby gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo ā A Read-Aloud!