Los Angeles Zoo welcomes 2 baby chimpanzees

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles Zoo welcomed two baby chimpanzees to its exhibit, which now includes five endangered chimp babies under 3 years old.

Johari, whose name means jewel, was born on Oct. 27 and Oliver was born on Aug. 23.

Zoo officials said Johari is being raised by his mother, while Oliver was unable to nurse, so he is being hand-reared by animal care staff. Zoo staff members are putting Oliver's mother, Julie, through maternal training.

As Oliver gets stronger with age, zoo officials said he will also receive training to cling and hold on to things, so he and his mother can eventually be reunited and assimilate into their group.

Having so many baby chimps in one troop is rare for a zoo, said Jennie Becker, the curator of mammals at the zoo.

"Our current situation mimics that of the wild which is hard to do in captivity because most zoos don't have the space to have this many chimpanzees which allows for this many babies," Becker said in a statement.

The other three baby chimps, females Zuri, Uki and Kima, were born between 2012 and 2013.