A bundle of joy: Maryland Zoo welcomes baby chimpanzee to the family

BALTIMORE — Get ready to go bananas over the Maryland Zoo’s latest addition—a baby chimpanzee who’s already stealing hearts and climbing to new heights of cuteness!

The zoo says chimpanzee Rozi gave birth on June 10 to a baby girl.

It was touch-and-go at first, as animal care staff noted a decline in the infant's health and became concerned she was not getting enough milk. Veterinarians at the zoo stepped in and were able to stabilize the infant. Keepers have been providing care until she can rejoin her mother Rozi and the rest of the chimps at the zoo.

“Rozi is a hand-reared chimp and first time mom so we weren’t sure what to expect,” said Chimpanzee Forest Area Manager at the Maryland Zoo Pamela Carter. “In this case, it was in the baby’s best interest for us to carefully intervene.”

Although medical staff is happy with the baby's progress, they say she will still need supplemental nutrition after being reunited with her mom. 

Zoo staff says the baby still doesn't have a name, and is asking for your help to choose one. To find details about the baby's progress and naming contest, you can visit the zoo's website and check its social media. 

When she's ready, zoo officials say the baby chimp will join three other juvenile chimps Lola, Violet, and Maisie.

Chimpanzees learn from birth how to get along in a group. They watch their mothers and other members of the group and learn everything from them: how to feed, where to sleep, how to groom, how to “read” other chimps’ behaviors, and how to interact with others.

They are an endangered species with only about 150,000 wild chimpanzees living in African forests today, down from one to two million in 1900. They are endangered for many reasons, including poaching, habitat loss, and disease introduced by humans. Officials say much of their habitat has been lost to deforestation in response to logging, creation of farmland, and other human encroachment.

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