How years of planning resulted in a 'baby boom' of great apes at LA Zoo

Western lowland gorilla, N’djia, 31, holds her newborn baby born on Nov 22 at the LA Zoo. — Photos: Los Angeles Times/TNS

Every morning while the great apes of the LA Zoo are sleeping, Tania Prebble goes around distributing their food, medicine and other essentials.

She tosses carrots, celery and other fibrous treats like cucumbers on top of the branches and leaves that are reminiscent of the apes’ West Central Africa rainforest habitat.