The world got a little a cuter on October 14, when this baby gorilla was born — and this kid knows how to make an entrance.
According to the Franklin Park Zoo, the little primate, the Boston zoo's first male baby gorilla, was delivered by veterinarians and physicians via Cesarean section. Zoo New England, which operates the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Mass., decided to go ahead with the procedure after western lowland gorilla mom Kiki started experience vaginal bleeding days before her due date.
"The veterinary team at Zoo New England became concerned that she may have placenta previa, a condition where the placenta lies over the entrance to the cervix, blocking the path for delivery of the baby," Franklin Park Zoo shared in their release about the baby gorilla's birth.
After an ultrasound confirmed that Kiki, 39, had placenta previa, she was shepherd through the c-section by the Zoo New England veterinary team and specialists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Thanks to the quick and thoughtful work of these medical professionals, Kiki welcomed a healthy 6-pound baby boy.
"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."
After the birth, the zoo staff cared for Kiki's currently unnamed baby for the day, so mom had time to recover from surgery. The mother-son duo reunited on Oct. 15 and has been forming a strong bond ever since. Kiki keeps her new kid close and loves to hold the precious primate. The pair will remain behind the scenes, monitored by their keepers, until the zoo believes both are ready for their debut together.
For news on when to expect this public reveal, visit the zoo's website.
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