Baby Gorilla Surrogate Moms - Cincinnati Zoo

CINCINNATI -- (February 26, 2013) The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is turning humans into temporary gorilla moms. Over the next several months, the Zoo will use human surrogates to mimic gorilla behavior with the ultimate goal to get a 4-week-old gorilla baby in the hands of a gorilla surrogate. These human surrogates will feed the gorilla. They will hold the baby to their chest and eventually carry her on their back. They will climb on things and even knuckle-walk like a gorilla. They will wear all black scrubs during their shifts and cover themselves with a furry vest -- handmade by a Cincinnati Zoo volunteer. They will also vocalize like a gorilla and a host of other skills that most people never even consider.