'Endangered' Gorilla Birth, Obstetrician Urgently Deployed... What Is the Reason?

Gorilla Delivered by Cesarean Section at Texas Zoo
Surgery Performed Due to Preeclampsia Symptoms...Health Stable

A critically endangered gorilla showing symptoms of preeclampsia successfully gave birth via cesarean section at a zoo in the United States.

On the 15th (local time), the British daily The Guardian reported, citing local media in Fort Worth, Texas, that on the 5th of last month, a critically endangered western gorilla (Western Lowland Gorilla) baby named 'Jamila' was born through an emergency cesarean section at the Fort Worth Zoo. Jamila's mother, 'Sekani' (33), had planned a natural delivery in February but showed symptoms of eclampsia, a type of preeclampsia, which led to an urgent cesarean section.

Baby gorilla Jamila born by cesarean section performed by an obstetrics and gynecology specialist [Image source=Captured from Fort Worth Zoo Instagram, Yonhap News]

Since the birthing process of primates such as gorillas is very similar to that of humans, the zoo formed a team of specialists working in general hospitals, including obstetrics, anesthesiology, and neonatology, to perform Sekani's surgery. The zoo explained that cesarean sections in gorillas are rare. Obstetrician Jamie Walker Irwin, who performed the surgery, told The Guardian that Jamila's birth was "amazing" and "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The zoo reported that both mother Sekani and baby Jamila are in good health, and since Sekani is recovering from the surgery, the keepers are taking care of Jamila. The western gorilla born this time mainly inhabits the tropical rainforests of the lowlands in West Africa, with an average lifespan of 30 to 40 years in the wild and about 50 years in captivity. Adult height ranges from 150 to 180 cm, and weight from 135 to 275 kg. The gestation period of western gorillas is about 270 days, and they usually give birth to one baby at a time with an average interval of three and a half years. The population of this gorilla species is estimated to be around 120,000, but due to frequent hunting and infectious diseases, they are facing a serious risk of extinction.

Obstetrician Jamie Irwin, who performed the cesarean section, is holding a baby gorilla.
[Image source=Captured from Fort Worth Zoo Instagram, Yonhap News]

Previously, in 2016, at the Bristol Zoo in the UK, a western gorilla named Kera (11) showed symptoms of preeclampsia and gave birth via cesarean section with the help of a nearby obstetrician. At that time, the Daily Telegraph reported that Kera's birth was "the first case of a gorilla giving birth via cesarean section in the UK" and that "cesarean births in gorillas worldwide number only about ten cases."

In 2014, at the San Diego Zoo in the United States, when a mother gorilla showed no signs of delivering due to dystocia, an emergency cesarean section was performed to save the baby gorilla's life. The surgery was performed by a veterinarian at that time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.