Infant Kura
Pablo's Group
Infant Kura
D.O.B. February 9, 2021
Infant Kura, whose name means ‘to grow,’ was born on Feb. 9, 2021, and is one of the youngest gorillas in our historic Pablo group. This is the longest-studied family of mountain gorillas, so Kura is lucky to be in such an important group and actually represents the 6th generation of gorillas studied by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Kura’s mother, Umujyanama, is 11 years old, and Kura is her first infant.. Pablo’s group has many experienced moms for her to observe and she has proven to be an excellent mother. Umujyanama spends a lot of time grooming Kura, a key behavior for a young gorilla’s development, and a great way for mom and daughter to build a strong bond – even if Kura gets a bit distracted sometimes.
Kura is still fully dependent on her mother for nutrition, comfort and transport. But this is also the time when she will begin to explore her surroundings. She is already fascinated by other family members and observes them closely. She is not scared of walking away from her mother – though never too far – as she looks for other gorillas to interact with.
Kura’s best friend is 2-year-old Uwacu. The two are always taking on new adventures, but family members are always around to make sure that they are well supervised and safe. Pablo’s group is currently made up of 17 gorillas and is led by dominant silverback Gicurasi, likely to be Kura’s dad. Gicurasi is the son of Cantsbee, which means that Kura is continuing a historic gorilla legacy.
