NEW ORLEANS — A critically endangered western lowland gorilla at the Audubon Zoo is expecting a baby soon, the zoo shared Thursday.

The zoo said the pregnancy is a result of successful breeding between 18-year-old mother Tumani and 23-year-old silverback Okpara. Their baby is due in mid-February. 

Audubon said this is Tumani's second pregnancy. Due to an unexpected medical condition during pregnancy, her first infant did not survive.

Updates on Tumani's pregnancy and a virtual baby registry can be found here. Registry donations help provide enrichment activities, like nesting, tool use and climbing, for Tumani's new baby and the rest of the zoo's gorillas.

The zoo also said it will host a gorilla party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 31 to celebrate Tumani's 19th birthday and the upcoming arrival of her newborn. Activities at the party will include special enrichment for the gorillas, chats with zookeepers, games to guess the size of the baby gorilla and more. 

“Each gorilla birth plays a critical role in the conservation of the species. Our dedicated team is monitoring Tumani around the clock, and we are all excited to welcome this new infant. Protecting gorillas and ensuring their future remains at the heart of our mission,” said Michael J. Sawaya, Audubon Nature Institute’s Chief Executive Officer and L. Ronald Forman Chair in Conservation Leadership.

According to Audubon, the world's western lowland gorilla population has declined by more than 80%, mainly due to illegal hunting, disease, habitat loss and increased poaching. The species is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.