Rockhampton Zoo’s chimp birth is something to celebrate

Extract from The Courier Mail

Baby chimp born in Rockhampton

QLD News

Dan Knowles, The Courier-Mail

February 21, 2018 12:00am

ROCKHAMPTON is celebrating a new arrival with the birth of a female chimpanzee at the city’s zoo.

The little girl, born to first-time mum Leakey, is the first chimp born in Queensland since the mid-1970s, Rockhampton Deputy Mayor Cherie Rutherford said.

The baby chimpanzee with mother Leakey at Rockhampton Zoo. Picture: Supplied/Yvette Fenning

“Both the baby and her mum, Leakey, are doing very well and the dad, Alon, is acting just like any curious and nervous new dad so they are all very much the perfect image of doting new parents and a perfect little baby at this moment,” Cr Rutherford said.

“We’ve had the area cordoned off to the public this past week to give the parents some downtime to get used to their new life but we’re very excited to be reopening that space in the coming days so the public can come meet our newest member of the family,” Cr Rutherford said.

Mother "Leakey" has taken to motherhood like a natural. Picture: Yvette Fenning

Rockhampton Zoo Life Sciences co-ordinator Graeme Strachan said it was incredibly pleasing to see both mum and baby reaching all the key milestones.
“Leakey and her baby are doing all the right things at this point which is really wonderful to see, especially for a first time mum like Leakey who is learning all these new things,” Mr Strachan said.

The public will be able to see the family in coming days. Picture: Yvette Fenning

“The most important behaviours we’ve observed just recently is that breastfeeding has begun and is going really well.
“Aside from that, Leakey just dotes on her baby and it’s been such an incredible experience for our zoo staff that we can’t wait to share it with the public in the very near future,” Mr Strachan said.

Mum and baby get to know each other. Picture: Yvette Fenning

Leakey snuggles her baby at the zoo. Picture: Yvette Fenning