Columbus Zoo Books for Young Readers Collection

When Colo was born unexpectedly on the cold concrete floor of the zoo on December 22, 1956, the book, How to Raise a Baby Gorilla didn’t exist. “How do you raise a baby gorilla?” the keepers at the Columbus Zoo wondered. They raised Colo the only way they knew—as if she were a human baby. She wore diapers, drank from bottles, and had an entire wardrobe of baby clothes. Follow Colo’s amazing journey from a cuddly baby, to a feisty toddler, to a mother of three, to the matriarch of one very large gorilla family—and now the oldest living gorilla in the world. Colo has done more than live her own amazing life; she’s helped teach generations of zookeepers and veterinarians learn what’s best for all gorillas in captivity. Readers will see lots of photos of Colo, from her baby years to the present. Family tree, recommended reading, and bibliography.