Zoo baby boom

Cuddly babes have made their entrance at zoos around the country. Prepare to fall wildly in love with these little charmers.

Western Lowland African gorilla

Brookfield Zoo

8401 31st St., Brookfield, Ill.; 708-688-8000; czs.org

Visit and be greeted by newly born Nora, a rare Western Lowland African gorilla born in November 2013. Her name was crowd-sourced via poll on the zoo's website and means "light" or "honor." With her thick black hair and white "tail" tuft, Nora often rides her mom, Koola, piggyback style.

Panda

Smithsonian National

Zoological Park

3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.; 202-633-4888; nationalzoo.si.edu

The zoo's "Giant Panda Cam" was a casualty of last fall's government shutdown, temporarily denying viewers nationwide a chance to watch newborn baby Bao Bao, born Aug. 23, grow. But now visitors to both the webcam and the zoo can see the young panda in all her furry glory. Don't miss the lion cubs, too.

Coquerel Sifaka lemur

Sacramento Zoo

3930 W. Land Park Dr.; Sacramento Calif.; 916-808-5888; saczoo.org

If your summer adventure includes northern California, swing by the Sacramento Zoo to see its newest addition, a baby lemur. A pair of Coquerel Sifaka lemurs — notable for their acrobatic skills and distinctive alarm call — welcomed a brighteyed baby boy on Jan. 5. Visitors enjoy watching him leap between parents.

Masai giraffe

The Houston Zoo

6200 Hermann Park Dr., Houston Texas; 713-533-6500; houstonzoo.org

You'll get a double-dose of cuteness when you visit the Houston Zoo. In early February it welcomed a Masai giraffe named Baridi, which means "cold" in Swahili, and an Asian elephant named Duncan. Both calves were healthy and amply sized — Baridi towered 6 1/2 feet and Duncan weighed a hefty 385 pounds at birth. See them in exhibits that mimic their natural habitats.