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Milwaukee Zoo's gorilla celebrates 1st birthday

Posted at 6:24 PM, Nov 24, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-24 19:24:20-05

Sulaiman, the newest baby gorilla at the Milwaukee County Zoo celebrated his first birthday today.

"It’s been over 10 years since we've had a baby gorilla at our zoo,” says Jennifer Diliberti of the Milwaukee County Zoo. "So really, to have him thrive and succeed - it's a testament to our staff here and doing so well."

He's still nursing, but eats solid food, like fruits and veggies.

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"The kids have been giggling and oohing and aahing. It's neat to see, because they actually grow at the same rate as a human. So he looks similar to what a one year old toddler would look like. He's doing some silly things," adds Diliberti.

That silliness was on display as he ducked and swung around - making other gorillas his own jungle gym. As the adults nap, Sulaiman scampers around.

"The mom and dad seem to play with the baby gorilla and interact with him,” notices Alissa Weiler from Franklin. “They seem to love him, kind of like a parent would with their child."

The Milwaukee County Zoo will be his home for several more years. Then, it's up to the Species Survival Program on whether he goes to have his own family at another zoo.