Baby gorilla suffers skull fracture in family fight at Seattle zoo

A baby gorilla at a Washington state zoo suffered a skull fracture when it got caught in the middle of a family brawl.

The “skirmish” that left 2 1/2-month-old Kitoko badly injured unfolded Saturday at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, according to zoo officials.

The baby boy gorilla was bitten on the head likely by accident when a female gorilla among the six-member family group tried to go after the tot’s mother, Uzumma, zoo staffers said.

“The infant sustained serious injuries to the head including a laceration from a bite wound, resulting in a bone fracture to the skull,” said Dr. Darin Collins, the zoo’s director of animal health.

“What could have been a life-threatening injury to his head appears to be a serious wound that can heal if no complications from infection result.”

Following the scuffle, zoo staffers “immobilized” Uzumma in order to separate the baby and take him to the zoo’s veterinary hospital for an examination, which included diagnostic radiographs and a surgical repair of the wound.

Pediatric neurosurgery consultants from Seattle Children’s Hospital were on hand to evaluate the baby gorilla and repair the injury.

Kitoko received antibiotics and pain medications intravenously as he remained under 24-hour care at the zoo’s hospital.

“We are cautiously optimistic for a full recovery,” Collins said, adding, “Over the next two weeks, we will maintain a close assessment for any signs of infection or bleeding resulting in neurological deficits.”

Gorilla keepers didn’t witness the fight, but officials said footage shows it occurred at 7:50 a.m. in the sleeping den.

They noticed the baby’s wound 10 minutes later and said he appeared to be nursing and behaving normally afterward.

Uzumma and Kitoko, western lowland gorillas, live with Kitoko’s dad, Kwame, female Nadiri and her daughter Yola and another female adult, Akenji.

Gorillas live in family groups of usually five to 10 and are led by a dominant adult male, zoo officials said.

“Gorillas tend to be gentle giants but conflicts among family members do occur, in zoos and in nature,” said Martin Ramirez, the zoo’s mammal curator. “Conflicts can involve biting and shoving among individuals. We suspect one of the adult females may have inadvertently bitten the baby while engaged in a skirmish with Uzumma.”

Ramirez said the “priority” is to reunite Uzumma and Kitoko as soon as possible.

The zoo has been temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.