The tiny ape was born at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo on November 4

Jan 3, 2014 19:36 GMT  ·  By

Last year, on November 4, Chicago's Brookfield Zoo welcomed a baby female gorilla. When it arrived into this world, the tiny ape weighed merely 4-5 pounds (1.8-2.2 kilograms), and looked quite fragile.

Fast forward a few weeks, and the baby ape is much stronger and more confident than it was just a short while ago. The picture above shows the little gorilla cuddling with its mom, Koola, and giving it a big kiss.

Presently, the gorilla spends most of its time clinging to its mom's belly. Luckily, it has a fairly strong grip, so the chances that an accident will happen are pretty much slim to none, Zoo Borns tells us.

By the time it turns 3 months old, the baby ape will get a better idea of what keeping one's balance is all about, and it will be able to go for rides on Koola's back.

Although the gorilla will start to chew on solids some 4 months after its birth, keepers say that its mom will probably continue to nurse it until it is 3-4 years old.

Commenting on the baby ape's arrival, Stuart Strahl, the president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Societ said that “This infant represents an important contribution to the Gorilla population in North American zoos.”

“We hope that when zoo guests see the infant and her family members they will be inspired to care for this Critically Endangered species,” he added.