ASHEBORO NC - A chimpanzee was born early Monday at the North Carolina Zoo, the first of its species to be born at the zoo in 12 years.

The yet-to-be-named infant is a female and was delivered around 7:30 a.m. Monday. The mother is Maki, a 16-year-old female who was born at the N.C. Zoo. The father is Sokoto, a nine-year-old male who came to Asheboro in 2007 from the Miami Metro Zoo.

Both mother and infant were in good condition Monday afternoon. They are expected to be on exhibit when the zoo opens at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The zoo staff had known of the pregnancy for several months. The Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums had recommended pairing Sokoto and Maki last year.

Monday's birth brings the number of chimps in the N.C. Zoo to 13 and remains the largest chimp troop in U.S. zoos.

The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Dee A. Freeman, Secretary; Beverly E. Perdue, Governor.

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