Baby Get Their Names
Kwita Izina, an annual gorilla naming ceremony, was held on July 1 this year in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Crowds Gather
About 5,000 people came to Kwita Izina this year. The ceremony organizers hope to raise awareness about the mountain gorilla's endangered species status.
Musicians Perform
The ceremony also included entertainment and performances by local musicians.
The Gorilla Namers
Those chosen to do the naming were clothed in traditional African robes. The ceremony comes from an ancient African tradition of ceremoniously giving names with deep meaning.
Helpless Babies
Mountain gorillas only weigh about 4 lbs. (1.8 kilograms) when they are born. Eventually, they will grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and weigh up to 400 lbs. (181 kg) in adulthood.
Mother and Newborn
Baby gorillas ride on their mother's backs for most of the first three years of their lives.
Habitat Destruction
These gorillas live in dense forest-covered mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. Their habitat is threatened by deforestation.
