It is a baby gorilla.

The Detroit Zoo in suburban Detroit said the birth that occurred on Thursday was the first in its 96-year history.

Tami Breitrall, the assistant curator of mammals at the zoo, said, "Bandia had a very smooth pregnancy, which is extremely important for a first-time mother."

The baby gorilla has not been named yet, and its gender has not been determined. The newcomer now joins four other gorillas at the zoo, including Bandia and father Mshindi, all of whom arrived last year.

Breitrall said staff worked for months to prepare the group, even carrying around a stuffed gorilla in the habitat to demonstrate how to handle the baby.

She said, "We taught our gorilla teams how to gently touch the stuffed animal, lift it off the ground, and bring it to a team member at the mesh barrier."

The public will not see the gorillas right away.

Melissa Thoim, the mammal supervisor, said, "The area will be reopened once the animal care team decides that the mother and baby have had enough time to bond and rest in their habitat."