The Franklin Park Zoo in Boston welcomed a major addition last week.
A 6 lb, 3 oz gorilla was delivered via cesarean section on October 14, Zoo New England announced on its official website Tuesday. The C-section was performed after the newborn's mother, Kiki, a 39-year-old western lowland gorilla, experienced bleeding complications late in her pregnancy which, at times, was significant, according to the zoo.
The Zoo New England veterinary team, along with specialist from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, performed an ultrasound on Kiki and quickly discovered she had a placenta previa. Kiki was transported to the zoo hospital and underwent surgery.
The baby gorilla, which has yet to be named, was delivered at 6:53 p.m., and is larger than most gorilla newborns, which typically weigh between 3-5 lbs.
“For the health of mom and baby, it was imperative to quickly diagnose Kiki’s condition and perform a C-section before she went into labor on her own. We were fortunate to quickly mobilize an amazing team with our colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. Eric Baitchman, Zoo New England vice president of animal health and conservation. “This was truly a team effort, and we are relieved and happy that the surgery went smoothly and that mom and baby are both safe and healthy.”
Kiki made a successful recovery from surgery and was reunited with her baby the following afternoon. Zoo officials said she was "very attentive, holding the baby close."
More information can be found on Zoo New England's official website and social media accounts.
Photo: Franklin Park Zoo