Doctors Conduct C-section on Zoo's Gorilla for the First Time

Veterinary doctors performed an emergency C-section on a gorilla for the first time at the San Diego Zoo .

 Imani, an 18 year old gorilla was full term pregnant and went into  a difficult labor for nearly 12 hours Wednesday. After observing no changes or progress, the Zoo officials took Imani to the Safari Park Veterinary Hospital where she underwent a cesarean section and gave birth to a female baby gorilla.

The surgery was monitored by the San Diego Zoo Global staff, a veterinary surgeon and even human neonatal specialists from the University of California's San Diego Medical Center.

The baby gorilla was reportedly having breathing difficulties and underwent an operation to fix a collapsed lung. The veterinarian believes 18 years is an advanced age for a gorilla to give birth and long labor can increase chances for the babies to be born with difficulties and complications. The newborn gorilla is in the hospital's intensive care unit where she is receiving oxygen and fluid supplements.

Nadine Lamberski, veterinarian and associate director of the park's veterinary services said in a news release, "In retrospect the C-section was the right decision. We think the health of the fetus would have been compromised if we delayed the surgery any longer."

The safari park has eight gorillas and Imami's infant is the 17th gorilla baby born at the Zoo.

The gestation period for the gorillas is between 8.3 to 9 months after pregnancy. According to the Zoo authorities, C-section births are extremely rare among gorillas who are usually large bodied and can easily give birth to tiny babies. They said the mother and the baby gorilla are recovering from the surgery.

Christina Simmons, the Zoo's spokesperson said, "Imani is doing well this morning. We have another gorilla spending time with her so that she has company and the baby is yet to be named," reports abcnews.

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