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This gorilla bonding with her newborn will melt your heart

This video is going to get you so pumped for Mother’s Day.

Photo of David Britton

David Britton

gorilla with baby

On April 15, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., was blessed with a new addition to its family: a newborn western lowland gorilla named Moke, which means “junior” or “little one” in Lingala.

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The short video, posted to Twitter the next day, shows his mother, 15-year-old Calaya, kissing and bonding with her new baby. Of course, it had everyone all emotional.

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If you are interested, and think you can handle it, there is also a longer video showing the moment Moke actually entered the world. Just know it’s not for the faint of heart.

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“The birth of this western lowland gorilla is very special and significant,” said Meredith Bastian, the zoo’s curator of primates, “not only to our Zoo family but also to this critically endangered species as a whole.”

“The primate team’s goal was to set Calaya up for success as best we could, given that she is a first-time mother,” she continued. “Doing so required great patience and dedication on the part of my team, and I am very proud of them and Calaya.”

The zoo says they are “cautiously optimistic” that young Moke will be grow up to be a big strong gorilla. They have temporarily closed the great ape house to allow Calaya time to bond with her infant.

H/T Daily News

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The Daily Dot