A baby gorilla is “doing well” after being delivered by Caesarean section in a rare operation at Bristol Zoo. The western lowland gorilla was born early, weighing 1.2 kilograms, after her mother showed signs of the potentially dangerous condition pre-eclampsia, which can trigger high blood pressure and kidney problems and, if uncontrolled, can increase the chances of mother and baby dying. There have only been a few gorilla C-sections in the world — most recently at San Diego Safari Park in 2014. It is thought to be the first successful gorilla C-section in the UK, BBC reported. The 11-day old western lowland gorilla - a critically endangered species - was delivered by gynecologist David Cahill who has delivered hundreds of human babies by C-section, but never a gorilla. “Along with having my own children, this is probably one of the biggest achievements of my life and something I will certainly never forget,” he said. The baby was born with a strong heartbeat but had fluid in her lungs and was not breathing. It took two to three hours before she was breathing on her own. The staff are now “cautiously optimistic” for mother and baby.
