Moving scenes at zoo as gorilla mourns babe in arms

Anyone who doubts the bond between great apes and humans has only to look at this moving photo to see the emotions that we share.

Gorilla Gana was clearly distraught by the sudden death of her three-month-old baby, Claudio, at the weekend.



Visitors to the zoo in Munster, northern Germany, fought back tears as the gorilla held her lifeless child up in the air, vainly seeking to restore movement to his lolling head and limp arms.

Gana, 11, put the dead baby on her back and walked around, stopping every few paces to see if he had recovered.



Zoo director Jorg Adler said: "Claudio died in his mother's arms, we think from a heart defect. We will do an autopsy.

"The whole of Germany is mourning with Gana. She is so sad right now."

With more photos.