Baby Gorilla Arrives In Unusual Way

Anytime a baby animal is born it’s an event for us here at the zoo, but when a baby arrives to world in a special way, it’s an even bigger deal. That’s the case with this as-yet unnamed baby gorilla that was born at the San Diego Zoo recently. The young lady is a rare lowland gorilla, and she was removed from her mommy via c-section after twelve hours of labor! Four hours is very long for a gorilla, so when mama Imani (18 years old) was giving birth for three times as long, it became apparent to veterinarians at the zoo that the baby had to be removed surgically. She was born with a collapsed lung and a wicked case of pneumonia, but thanks to the great doctors at the zoo, she’s in stable condition and had been allowed to go back to her mother’s care. The team in San Diego is still going to keep a close eye on the sickly little ape, but she’s looking like she will make a full recovery! She was born tiny and sick, but someday she will be almost six feet tall and four hundred pounds! Her handlers better get their hugs in now before she’s too big, because she’s already strong enough that they’re having some trouble doing her exams. We’ll keep an eye on her for you and let you know how she grows up, and if they ever give the little one a name; our vote is for “Ape-ril”!