Baby Chimp Born on National Chimp Day Named After Iconic Scientist

A baby chimp born at the Detroit Zoo is named after the scientist Jane Goodall.

The chimp was born on World Chimpanzee Day. Her namesake Jane Goodall was an English primatologist from 1960 who studied the social interactions of wild chimpanzees. She brought recognition to the conservation of chimpanzees in the wild. The baby chimp Jane weighs roughly 4 lbs and is the second baby born to mother Abby. Abby’s first daughter, Chiana, was also born at the Detroit Zoo. She is the fourth in 10 years for father, Imara, who also sired daughters Zuhura, 4, and Akira, 6, as well as son Ajua, 9.

Abby and Jane are bonding at the zoo, workers state that both are doing well. The zoo estimates baby Jane will be visible to Detroit Zoo visitors at the Great Apes of Harambee within a couple of weeks. The 4-acre indoor-outdoor habitat holds 11 chimpanzees and 3 western lowland gorillas.

Chimpanzees are typically on the endangered list due to habitat loss, disease, fragmented populations and illegal wildlife trafficking so Jane’s birth is a blessing for the species.