Rare News Desk
Kamina is a baby gorilla who could really use a mom.
Videos by Rare
She was born at the Oklahoma City Zoo in August, but was relocated to the Cincinnati Zoo after her mother rejected her. The hope is that a female gorilla will act as a surrogate mother.
“It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” Oklahoma City Zoo keeper Robin Newby said. “We hate to see her go, but we know she has a chance to be in a family group that will actually take care of her. We knew when her mother rejected her that this was probably going to happen.”
Oklahoma City Zoo mammal curator Laura Bottaro is hopeful that Kamina’s transfer to the Cincinnati Zoo will result in her finding the mom that she so desperately needs.
“There are a lot of protocols,” Bottaro said. “Over the next couple of months they will ease her in. It’s a very gradual process, and it’s important that protocol be followed. But we feel like she’s got a great chance to find a mom to take care of her. They’ve had success there before, just like we have had success finding surrogates for chimpanzees.”
