These adorable pictures of a mum gorilla tenderly cradling her newborn baby in Bristol Zoo are going viral. The baby gorilla was born on August 19, less than two weeks old when snapped in these photos. This is so touching as this gorilla lost her first child 1 year ago. The happiness once again smiles on her.

As you can see, the newborn is gazing up at her mother with love and also trying to snatch some snacks from her. But 9-year-old Kala is able to convince the newborn that her milk is a more suitable choice. This mother gorilla welcomed her baby back in August. "Nine-year-old Kala gave birth naturally, overnight to the infant with dad, Jock, just a few meters away and the rest of the family troop nearby," Bristol Zoo shared back in August.

Lynsey Bugg, Curator of Mammals at Bristol Zoo, said about the arrival of the baby. "We are all thrilled,". "There is something very special about seeing a new-born baby gorilla, they are such an iconic and charismatic species." She continued. The mum gorilla named Kala and her newborn are currently living at the Bristol Zoo. Apparently, Kala is a very gentle and caring mother.

According to Lynsey, both Kala (who came to the zoo from Germany back in 2018) and her newborn are doing well. "She is being very attentive and taking good care of her baby," she shared. "It's very early days but we are cautiously optimistic. The early signs are good and the baby looks to be a good size and is strong." "She is being very attentive and taking good care of her baby". Sadly, Kala lost her firstborn last year.

Sadly, Kala's first baby, who was born last September, left her when it was younger than just one week old. The mother gorilla underwent an emergency cesarean section, as she had a low-lying placenta that blocked the birth canal, thus preventing the baby from being born naturally. Even though the zookeepers and vets closed the zoo's Gorilla House to give the mother and her baby some needed time and space to bond, the baby failed to thrive. Kala went through an emergency cesarean section; however, the baby couldn't stay with its mom for more than a few hours. Luckily, this pregnancy was a happy one and the mother and her baby are thriving.

Luckily, Kala's recent pregnancy was a happy one, and the pair are clearly enjoying their moments together. "The new gorilla joins our troop of six gorillas, which are part of a breeding programme to help safeguard the future of western lowland gorillas," Bristol Zoo explained in a press release. The mother and the baby are seemingly bonding. Momma gorilla never leaves her baby alone.

Western lowland gorillas are now critically endangered. They originate from Cameroon, in the region of West Central Africa. In the wild, many gorillas are shot by hunters who are participating in the bushmeat trade. Unfortunately, Kala is among one of the most critically endangered species.

That's easy to understand why the keepers at Bristol Zoo are ecstatic over the adorable baby who joined the other 6 gorillas at the zoo. Regarding the sex of the baby, the Bristol Zoo claimed: "The baby is definitely looking very strong and healthy and is getting hairier and more alert. Kala continues to hold the baby very close which makes confirming its sex more difficult, but we hope we'll be able to announce the sex of the little one very soon,".

Apparently, the baby starts getting along well with other gorillas: "The baby's half-siblings, Afia and Ayana, continue to show great interest in the newest addition to the family troop, which is great news—we are sure the youngster will be a great playmate for them before too long. It's also a great learning experience for them, showing them the skills they'll need when they become mums themselves."