First of 2 pregnant gorillas gives birth at Seattle zoo

The first of two pregnant gorillas at the Woodland Park Zoo has delivered her baby, with a second gorilla due to give birth at any time.

On Monday, Jamani gave birth to a baby after 8 ½ months of being pregnant, according to a news release from the zoo. The sex of the baby isn't yet known.

The father is a gorilla named Nadaya, a first-time father who is also the soon-to-be-dad of the expected baby of another gorilla, Olympia.

Both mothers are western lowland gorillas, and previously lived together at the North Carolina Zoo, according to the news release. There, they each gave birth in 2012 to a son and raised them successfully. Jamani and Olympia arrived in Seattle in 2022. Nadaya came from the Saint Louis Zoo in the same year.

Jamani and her baby are currently not viewable to visitors as they're in sleeping dens that help them bond in a quiet environment, where staff can also monitor them.

"We're happy to report that Jamani so far is showing good maternal skills. She's holding the baby close to her bosom, the baby is nursing, and mom and baby are bonding," Arden Robert, an animal care manager with the zoo, said in the statement. "As long as Jamani continues to show appropriate maternal care, we'll remain hands off and do visual neonatal exams only. If there are any visible concerns, we will of course intervene."

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:41 PM.