We just had to share this heartwarming vision of three-year-old Zola playing at 'being mum' with little chimp, Happy. 

In the film you can see Zola carefully preparing a nest for her 'make believe' baby (actually a stone), then being allowed to carry her little troop friend, five-month-old Happy, under the close supervision of mum Hannah before lastly, having a careful cuddle with the very wriggly one while Hannah watches on. 

"Zola has always had a very maternal side and we have often caught her playing with rocks and building nests for her stones, even picking them up and carrying in her leg pocket as some ape mother's do. Since Happy was born, Hannah has been allowing Zola to get closer and closer to her baby boy. Recently she was allowed to carry him under Hannah's guidance and often has him in her lap," says Laura Hanley, Senior Keeper Primates, Monarto Safari Park.

"While sister Hope is interested in her brother, Zola is infatuated," finished Laura. 

Chimpanzees, like humans, are highly social animals and often share the caring of young. 

Monarto Safari Park is home to troop of 13 Chimpanzees and supports the Jane Goodall Institute Australia as well as Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. 

For more information about the Chimpanzee troop and how you can support the species conservation, please visit monartosafari.com.au.

Starting today, June 5, western lowland gorilla fans will have an opportunity to vote on a name for a baby gorilla born May 27 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). Every western lowland gorilla birth is cause for celebration as this species is considered critically endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature. This morning, primate keepers threw a party for the gorilla troop, and festive enrichment revealed that the newborn is female. Voters can select their favorite names today through noon Friday, June 9, on the Zoo’s website. The winning name will be announced June 9.

Monarto, SOUTH AUSTRALIA — May 15, 2023 - Monarto Safari Park vet Jerome Kalvas and keeper Michelle Lloyd no longer have to join the dots when it comes to determining the sex of Cheetah Qailee’s litter after performing a full health check on the eight and nine week-old cubs.

“We have a boy and a girl as well as the female foster cub. It’s great news,” said Jerome.  

The three cubs were each weighed, microchipped, vaccinated and given a body condition score with Jerome giving each one the clean bill of health.

Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a rare Sulawesi crested macaque monkey – one of the world’s most endangered primates.

The new arrival, who is yet to be sexed or named, was born on 16 May to proud new mum Rumple and dad Mamassa.

In the wild the charismatic primates face numerous threats including habitat loss as a result of deforestation, illegal logging and the expansion of farming land, as well as hunting and the illegal pet trade.

Birth Provides Hope for the Future of Her Species

SAN DIEGO (June 1, 2023) — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is celebrating a conservation milestone with the birth of an endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo—only the second time this species has been born at the Safari Park. The female joey, named Kikori, was born to mother Arona and father Bek, at the end of August 2022 at the Safari Park’s Walkabout Australia.

“We are elated with the birth of this Matschie’s tree kangaroo joey,” said Donovan Vila, wildlife care specialist, San Diego Zoo Safari Park. “Matschie’s tree kangaroos are endangered, so this joey provides hope for the future of this species.”  

On Sunday at 9 PM, Mei, a white-handed gibbon, became a first-time mother.

Oakland, CA – May 31, 2023… Oakland Zoo is celebrating the arrival of its newest resident, a white-handed gibbon baby, born this past weekend to parents Mei (female, age 12) and Rainier (male, age 11). Animal care staff observed, via live cam, as Mei began laboring at 3 PM on Sunday in the gibbon’s nighthouse. Six hours later, she successfully gave birth and immediately began demonstrating excellent maternal care by cradling and nursing her newborn baby. The delivery comes after a four-year-long courtship between Mei and Rainier, both as first-time parents who were introduced at Oakland Zoo after coming from other AZA-accredited zoos in 2019. Gibbons mate for life, and pairs become closely bonded, vocalizing duets in the mornings.

Greensboro, N.C. - - In a moment of pure delight and excitement, the Greensboro Science Center (GSC) is thrilled to announce the birth of a precious pygmy hippo calf. The calf was born on May 24, 2023 to Holly (female) and Ralph (male), a pair recommended for breeding by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program, marking a significant milestone in the GSC’s most recent zoo expansion, Revolution Ridge. This is the first pygmy hippo born at the GSC.

For the first time in five years, primate staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) are celebrating the birth of a western lowland gorilla—a critically endangered species. It was born between midnight and 6:15 a.m. on May 27 to 20-year-old mother Calaya and 31-year-old father Baraka. They bred in September 2022 following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). This is the second offspring for both parents.

Asheboro, N.C. – May 24, 2023 -   The North Carolina Zoo is excited to announce a soaring addition to its family. The Zoo’s 13-year-old giraffe Leia gave birth to her calf—already about six feet tall—on Saturday, May 20. 

The 145-pound calf was born to parents Leia (cow) and Jack (bull). The first-time mom and her offspring are healthy and currently bonding behind the scenes. The Zoo has had 12 previous giraffe births, making this one lucky 13. 

The Zoo's animal care team will determine when mom and calf will join the herd—or tower (group of giraffes) on habitat and in public view. The public is encouraged to tune into the Zoo's social media channels for photos, updates, and information about how the calf will be named.

For the first time in 16 years, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C., is celebrating the birth of three meerkats. Keepers in the Small Mammal House reported for duty the morning of May 10 and observed that 5-year-old Sadie had given birth overnight. NZCBI had received a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) to breed Sadie and the pups’ 6-year-old father Frankie. These pups are the first offspring for Sadie; Frankie sired offspring previously at his former zoo. Meerkats live in groups called mobs that can include as many as 30 individuals, although the average mob size is around 10 to 15 individuals. Visitors can view NZCBI’s meerkat mob—which also includes Sadie’s sister, Stella—at the Small Mammal House.