Baby gorilla first to be born in Knoxville

The newborn gorilla at the Knoxville Zoo. (Knoxville Zoo photo)
The newborn gorilla at the Knoxville Zoo. (Knoxville Zoo photo)

The Knoxville Zoo is celebrating the birth on Thursday of its first gorilla, a long-armed, long-legged infant born at 2:30 a.m. to 31-year-old primate Hope.

The infant, healthy and estimated to weigh 2 to 3 pounds, is the first born at the Knoxville park. It's also the first gorilla born in Tennessee in 30 years; those gorillas were born at the Memphis Zoo.

The newborn, whose sex isn't yet determined, spent its first hours resting on Hope's chest. Zookeepers expect Hope to care for her baby without needing their help.

Read more from our news partners at KnoxNews.com.

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