Story perspectives

Seattle Zoo Performs C-Section on Gorilla, Delivers 5-lb Baby

5/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

An obstetrics team performed a C-section on Olympia, a 29-year-old western lowland gorilla at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo on May 24, delivering a 5.4-pound baby.
Ultrasound scans showed low amniotic fluid and an incompletely dilated cervix, prompting staff to perform the C-section and monitor mother and infant continuously.
The 5.4-pound baby stays in a nearby den, receiving bottle-feeding from fellow mother Jamani while veterinarians plan a reunion when Olympia recovers.

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Story summary

An obstetrics team performed a C-section on Olympia, a 29-year-old western lowland gorilla at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo on May 24, delivering a 5.4-pound baby.
Ultrasound scans showed low amniotic fluid and an incompletely dilated cervix, prompting staff to perform the C-section and monitor mother and infant continuously.
The 5.4-pound baby stays in a nearby den, receiving bottle-feeding from fellow mother Jamani while veterinarians plan a reunion when Olympia recovers.