GULF BREEZE — On a sunny Wednesday morning, Kigali the western lowland gorilla looks up at the hammock his mother so easily climbs into and jumps, stretching out his arms in the hope of getting in.
The youngster still has a lot of growing up to do, but the staff at the Gulf Breeze Zoo say he’s come a long way.
The 20-pound gorilla will celebrate his first birthday Saturday with presents, streamers and sugar-free carrot cake. Zoo Director Kayte Wanko said it should make for an interesting afternoon.
“He’s a feisty little thing now,” Wanko said as she watched Kigali and his mother, Rwanda, play on Chimp Island. “He is definitely bigger than six months ago and much hairier.
“But now he’s got the mentality of a 2-year-old child — mischievous, rambunctious, and he loves to play and discover new things.”
Check out a photo gallery of Kigali. >>
Kigali was born Jan. 23, 2012, after he was delivered by caesarian section from Rwanda. The then 27-year-old Rwanda did not produce milk to care for the infant on her own.
Keepers at the zoo worked around the clock after Kigali’s birth to prepare him to return to his mom.
Kigali and Rwanda were reunited last October.
“This past year was teaching him skills,” Wanko said “How to grab onto the gorilla’s back and arm, what foods to eat. This next year will be more about socialization that he’ll learn from his mom. Those kind of skills are not something we could teach him.”
Since reuniting with his mother, the small gorilla has begun to climb, cling and even pound his chest.
“It was always a worry of whether we were doing it right,” Wanko said of the first 10 months rearing Kigali. “How well he’s doing now is proof that we did it correctly.”
Wanko said Kigali will remain with his mother until he reaches maturity at age 12. After that, she said administrators will discuss whether to move him to a different zoo or keep him at Gulf Breeze Zoo.
“Ideally, he‘ll be here the rest of his life,” Wanko said.
Beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Wanko said zoo staffers will teach visitors about primates and educate them on the endangered species and ways to help keep the gorillas alive.
Children can also make birthday cards and blow bubbles at Kigali. It will be the first time he will see bubbles.
“You can watch him discover new things all day long, so his party will certainly be entertaining,” Wanko said. “I still can’t believe it‘s been a year.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.