(WBIR) Two baby gorillas can now call the Knoxville Zoo home. The zoo announced Tuesday afternoon that Machi the gorilla gave birth around 11:40 a.m.
Up until last week it had been years since a gorilla was born in captivity in Tennessee and one had never been born at the Knoxville zoo, according to zoo officials. Now, they've had two babies born in the span of one week.
"One baby was incredibly exciting," Phil Colclough, director of animal collections, said. "Two babies is easily twice as exciting."
The zoo's other female gorilla, Hope, gave birth to her baby just five days ago. Zoo officials said Bantu, a male gorilla, was introduced to the females last summer. It wasn't long before they became pregnant.
The first baby gorilla prompted a surge in attendance and helped the zoo set an attendance record for the month of May. The zoo said 1,000 more people than normal visited on the Saturday after Hope delivered her baby.
Colclough said it is "likely" the new baby gorilla will be on display by this weekend, but zoo officials are letting the gorilla family dictate that timeline before they slowly introduce the public to the exhibit.
