( Cincinnati ) The Cincinnati Zoo has announced it’s 4–week-old, female, baby gorilla officially has a name – “Gladys Stones!”  The Zoo’s Primate Keepers thought this was the perfect way to honor the Gladys Porter Zoo, in Brownsville, Texas, where the baby was born.  And, the Zoo’s Facebook page agreed with dozens of names suggesting Gladys.  Zoo Keepers also decided to give Gladys the last name “Stones” to recognize the Stones Family who cared for her in her first few weeks before she came to Cincinnati.

Gladys has now made the transition from the Zoo’s Nursery to her new home behind the scenes in the Gorilla World Baby Suite. Zoo surrogates are providing 24/7 care, working 8-hour shifts. These shifts involve a lot more than just cuddling the adorable new addition. Surrogacy involves understanding primate behavior, vocalizations and mothering instincts. The Baby Suite has been upgraded to feature 2-inch mesh that will assist keepers when they (eventually) bottle feed and cameras for around-the-clock monitoring.  In addition, the suite will be outfitted with a mattress for Zoo staff to sit on during their long shifts, especially overnights. The baby suite is located directly across the hall from the rest of the Cincinnati Zoo’s gorillas – to give both parties plenty of time to see, smell and hear each other before introductions begins.