A new-born critically endangered western lowland gorilla is adjusting to life at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park.

The infant was born to mother Mumba and father Djala.

Head gorilla keeper Phil Ridges said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome this new arrival to our family group.

“Mumba and Djala are fantastic parents, very protective and caring and the little one is doing very well.

“Infants are vital to the survival of this critically endangered species.”

The baby was born on February 26 and Mumba is keeping it protectively close.

Keepers are leaving mother and baby in peace so it is too soon to determine the infant’s sex. It has also not yet been named.

Djala, who has now fathered 15 babies, was rescued from the Congo after his family was slaughtered by poachers.

Since arriving traumatised in the UK in 1986 he has become head of the family at Port Lympne. This is Mumba’s third birth.

There are just over 125,000 western lowland gorillas in the wild and they remain vulnerable to poaching, deforestation and human disease.

The species’ status of critically endangered is the last stage before being extinct in the wild.