A truly precious newborn gorilla has made her debut appearance at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, cradled in the arms of her mother.
The tiny Western Lowland babe, named Kipenzi, Swahili for "Precious One", gripped onto protective mum Kriba as the pair stepped into the spotlight for the first time.
Zoo keepers say the newest addition, born just ten days ago as part of an international breeding program, is a vital contribution to ensuring the future of the endangered species.
Perhaps a little apprehensive about introducing her newborn to the world, Kriba moved cautiously about the exhibit when it reopened to the public on Tuesday.
It had been closed to viewing for a week to allow mother and daughter to bond.
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But it wasn't long before Kriba eased into her celebrity-like role and showed her sleepy infant to gushing onlookers.
"She's very relaxed considering it's their first day out," primate keeper Lisa Ridley said, adding that the other baby apes were also intrigued by the new arrival.
"Like humans, much maternal behaviour is learned, so one of the great values of our group is the opportunities young females have to watch experienced mothers like Kriba raising her baby," she said.
The problem-free birth was described by Ms Ridley as having a "wow factor" because it took place at 9.30am on a Saturday when the zoo was open to visitors.
Normally gorillas give birth overnight, meaning even the keepers miss out on witnessing the event, she said.
The youngster was the last to be sired by Silverback Kibabu, aged 33, before he retires in New Zealand.
The majestic male, weighing more than 200 kilograms, kept a watchful eye on his child, while 31-year-old Kriba juggled her motherly duties with eating a breakfast of tomatoes, lettuce and watermelon.
But the youngster's morning meal consisted only of her mother's milk, which she'll be suckling for at least the next few years.
It's estimated there are only 90,000 Western Lowlands in the wild, with numbers dwindling with the destruction of their habitat and a trade of bush-meat in Africa.
Taronga Zoo is home to nine, after the current adult group arrived in Australia from Holland more than a decade ago.
Kibabu has fathered four of the group, while Kriba is also the mother of Kimya.
"Each birth is a small step in the efforts by world zoos to provide some level of insurance for a sustainable future for these remarkable great apes," zoo director Cameron Kerr said.
The zoo is part of the European Species Management program for the species and has launched a program to encourage the recycling of mobile phones as a fundraiser for gorilla conservation.
The They're Calling You program also aims to reduce demand for Coltan, a mineral found in every-day electrical devices and mined in Africa to the detriment of the gorillas' habitat.
