LONDON Zoo's latest attraction, a baby gorilla, has taken his first steps - and The Sun has got it on video.
In October "Tiny" became the first gorilla born at the zoo in 20 years, and four months on we visited to see how he is faring.
Smile for the camera ... Tiny climbs on his doting mother Mjukuu
Tiny, a male western lowland gorilla, wobbled a bit as doting Mjukuu gently held his hand in the zoo's Gorilla Kingdom.
One small step for Tiny
FOUR-MONTH old baby silver back gorilla takes his first steps at London Zoo
Sadly, dad Yeboah was not there to witness it - he died last March before Tiny was born.
But Tiny has a surrogate dad, keeper Daniel Simmonds.
Looking on proudly, Daniel described his new "son" as "cheeky, a right little character".
Daniel, 37, said: "He's really coming into his own. He's got his own personality and recognises me now. He's starting to throw toddler tantrums which is funny. Mjukuu is breastfeeding him almost constantly, so we give her an extra 14 bananas a day.
"She is also on pregnancy vitamins - like many human mums.
"Tiny is just on milk but is becoming interested in other foods. He picked up an apple and it was bigger than his head."
Mother superior ... Mjukuu cradles Tiny
Western mountain gorillas are critically endangered, with just 150,000 to 200,000 remaining.
He weighs around 2.5kg (5lbs 8oz) but should grow to be over 200kg (31½st).
The zoo's most famous resident in the Sixties and Seventies, Guy the Gorilla, weighed a massive 240kg.
Tiny has already overcome one big hurdle. After his birth Mjukuu could have rejected him but she has proven a loving mum. The pair live with two other female gorillas and the zoo has acquired a new male, Kesho.
To keep Tiny safe they have yet to introduce him to the girls.
Daniel also revealed that Tiny's arrival stopped him having to endure a daily embarrassment.
He said: "Early on I was having to go to buy 20 pregnancy tests a day for Mjukuu from Sainsbury's. Imagine the looks I got at the tills."
Story Credit, photos, and wonderful video here
In October "Tiny" became the first gorilla born at the zoo in 20 years, and four months on we visited to see how he is faring.
Smile for the camera ... Tiny climbs on his doting mother Mjukuu
Tiny, a male western lowland gorilla, wobbled a bit as doting Mjukuu gently held his hand in the zoo's Gorilla Kingdom.
One small step for Tiny
FOUR-MONTH old baby silver back gorilla takes his first steps at London Zoo
Sadly, dad Yeboah was not there to witness it - he died last March before Tiny was born.
But Tiny has a surrogate dad, keeper Daniel Simmonds.
Looking on proudly, Daniel described his new "son" as "cheeky, a right little character".
Daniel, 37, said: "He's really coming into his own. He's got his own personality and recognises me now. He's starting to throw toddler tantrums which is funny. Mjukuu is breastfeeding him almost constantly, so we give her an extra 14 bananas a day.
"She is also on pregnancy vitamins - like many human mums.
"Tiny is just on milk but is becoming interested in other foods. He picked up an apple and it was bigger than his head."
Mother superior ... Mjukuu cradles Tiny
Western mountain gorillas are critically endangered, with just 150,000 to 200,000 remaining.
He weighs around 2.5kg (5lbs 8oz) but should grow to be over 200kg (31½st).
The zoo's most famous resident in the Sixties and Seventies, Guy the Gorilla, weighed a massive 240kg.
Tiny has already overcome one big hurdle. After his birth Mjukuu could have rejected him but she has proven a loving mum. The pair live with two other female gorillas and the zoo has acquired a new male, Kesho.
To keep Tiny safe they have yet to introduce him to the girls.
Daniel also revealed that Tiny's arrival stopped him having to endure a daily embarrassment.
He said: "Early on I was having to go to buy 20 pregnancy tests a day for Mjukuu from Sainsbury's. Imagine the looks I got at the tills."
Story Credit, photos, and wonderful video here
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