Zoo delivered adorable baby gorilla by c-section: ‘Humbling and profound!'

A critically endangered western lowland gorilla has given birth to a baby boy via caesarean section at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, in what is believed to be only the twelfth time such a procedure has been carried out on the species.Olympia, a 29-year-old gorilla weighing approximately 90kg, delivered the 5.4lb infant last month with the assistance of a combined team of human and veterinary medical specialists.Dr Andrew Beckstrom, a neonatologist and medical director at Seattle's Swedish Medical Center, described the moment he realised the unusual nature of his patient. When I had a moment to pause and look down, he told The Sunday Times. OK, this is not a human baby looking at me crying; it's a gorilla. It was an incredible experience.The procedure marked the first caesarean delivery in the zoo's 126-year history, during which 17 gorillas have been born. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Dr Sachita Shah, an emergency medicine physician who typically treats human patients, had been visiting the zoo each Tuesday to monitor both Olympia and another pregnant gorilla using portable ultrasound equipment.The expectant mothers proved cooperative during examinations. The mama gorillas were sweet and calm and getting fed blueberries while being scanned, Dr Shah recalled.Tracking the gorilla foetus proved remarkably similar to human prenatal care, with medical staff checking growth and development. There are subtle differences – their arms are much longer than in a human – but the baby-face profile (is) exactly the same. Beating heart, exactly the same, Dr Shah noted.Concerns mounted when Olympia's amniotic fluid appeared low and the infant's heart had descended deep into her pelvis. Several days past her due date, the baby's heart rate dropped.Dr Tim Storms, the zoo's director of animal health, summoned the full medical team when Olympia's condition deteriorated. After anaesthetising her, doctors discovered her cervix had not fully dilated, ruling out a simpler extraction.The 90kg gorilla was transported to the zoo's hospital, where surgeons faced distinct anatomical challenges. Dr Emily Norland, chief of obstetrics and gynaecology at Swedish Medical Center, was advised by a colleague with prior gorilla caesarean experience to use additional stitches.Dr Norland avoided shaving excessive fur from Olympia's abdomen, as newborn gorillas require their mother's long hair to grip. Her skin is thicker and tougher and the uterus is longer and more narrow, she observed.The infant emerged unable to breathe independently due to anaesthetic effects. We had to use a mask while we waited for his body to process the anaesthesia, Dr Beckstrom explained.Despite these differences, Dr Norland found the experience deeply humbling and very profound, noting there are more similarities than differences.LATEST DEVELOPMENTS'Mega rare' bird spotted in Britain for first time to delight of birdwatchersShark with face ‘not even mother would love’ spotted at sea by scientistsScientist breakthrough reveals new way to tell whether your dog is left or right-pawedOlympia's recovery proved remarkably swift. Within half an hour of waking in her enclosure, she was swinging from a fire hose, and her surgical wound had become nearly invisible after just five days.Surgeons had anticipated their patient's inability to follow post-operative instructions. We closed her fascia (connective tissue) in short, overlapping segments so if any section gave way, the others would hold, Dr Norland explained.To prevent Olympia from interfering with her incision, staff employed a common technique in primate surgery: painting her nails and tying distraction stitches into her hair to occupy her attention.The birth followed that of Jamani, a 26-year-old gorilla who delivered a healthy boy naturally approximately a week earlier, demonstrating most gorilla labours require no human intervention after their eight-and-a-half-month gestation.The two mothers subsequently exchanged infants, with Jamani caring for Olympia's baby while she recovered. Both infants share the same father, Nadaya.Zoo staff confirmed swapping infants is not unusual behaviour among gorillas.The medical team reflected on the profound connection they experienced during the delivery. After the baby woke up he grabbed my finger and held on, Dr Beckstrom recalled. He looked at me and I looked at him. When you talk about interconnectedness, he had that same look and the same connection that I've had with any other baby.Dr Suzanne Peterson, director of the obstetrics and gynaecology residency programme at Swedish Medical Center, described the experience as life-changing. There is a profound biological interconnectedness, she said. It was more similar than it was different.The conservation stakes weighed heavily on the team. Western lowland gorillas are classified as critically endangered. This endangered species is so precious, not just to Woodland Park but also to the world, Dr Norland said.Dr Shah captured the sentiment shared by all present, saying: Every person in the room who has ever held a new baby felt we are primates.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter