WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A safari in South Florida welcomed a baby chimpanzee to the world.
Lion Country Safari said the chimpanzee, Lili, was born on Jan. 28, and is the second chimp baby born at the facility in a little over a year, the safari said in a news release.
The baby is making her debut on the island habitats in the preserve, and guests driving through the safari might catch a glimpse of her clinging to her mom.
Lili joins a family of two females and three males, including one-year-old Tonk. The chimp’s mother, Juniper, who is “usually shy and reserved in front of people, has surprised her care team by making a point to show off her baby to them.”
Chimpanzees are listed as endangered and critically endangered in some regions by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with populations decreasing due to habitat loss, poaching and disease.
“Due to the status of chimpanzees in the wild and the low number of births in the population, this birth is especially rare and significant for the conservation of the species, the safari said in a news release. “Her birth contributes to the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan, a national collaboration to save them from extinction.”
Chimpanzees are typically pregnant for approximately eight months. At birth, chimpanzees weigh approximately 4 pounds. Infants cling to their mothers off and on for the first few years, but will stay closely attached for the first four months before becoming more independent.
Lili was named in honor of the Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project, a conservation initiative in Sierra Leone.
Lion Country Safari is home to 17 chimpanzees.
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