Woodland Park Zoo's Traci Colwell, a lead animal keeper, and Dr. Tim Storms, director of animal health, with the zoo's newborn gorilla. Photo courtesy Nichole Hamilton/MFM Sonographer Veterinary and human medical teams at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Wash., successfully performed a rare emergency C-section on a western lowland gorilla, delivering a healthy infant following pregnancy complications. Olympia, reportedly an experienced mother gorilla that was five days overdue, gave birth to a 5.4-lb male on May 24. The procedure marked the first gorilla C-section in the zoo’s 126-year history and is reportedly among fewer than a dozen such surgeries worldwide. A Butterfly Network ultrasound gave Olympia's caregivers important information regarding changes to the gorilla's amniotic fluid, positioning, and fetal heart rate, according to Dr. Sachita Shah of Butterfly & UW Emergency Medicine. Photo and video courtesy Woodland Park Zoo [video width="1692" height="1080" mp4="https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/RS53546_VIDEO_-Gorilla-ultrasound-Olympia-Mar-31.mp4"][/video] The medical intervention followed ultrasound examinations that revealed decreased amniotic fluid and an incompletely dilated cervix, indicating non-productive labor. According to Dr. Tim Storms, the zoo’s director of animal health, Olympia was anesthetized and transported to the zoo’s veterinary hospital, where veterinarians collaborated with volunteer obstetric specialists from Swedish Medical Center to perform the surgery. The surgical team included Dr. Emily Norland, chief of OBGYN; Dr, Suzanne Peterson, program director of OBGYN Residency Program; and Lily Pang, RN. Dr. Tim Storms (left back), Woodland Park Zoo's lead veterinarian, with physician consultants, use a Butterfly handheld ultrasound to monitor condition in early efforts after birth of the newborn gorilla. Photo courtesy Nichole Hamilton The multidisciplinary team included obstetricians, sonographers, neonatal specialists, veterinary staff, and emergency medical personnel. Following delivery, the newborn received neonatal assessment and stabilization before being reunited with Olympia. Woodland Park Zoo’s pregnant gorilla Olympia, five days past her due date, gave birth to a 5.4-pound boy by emergency C-section performed by a local medical team, who typically works on humans. Photo courtesy Nichole Hamilton/MFM Sonographer Veterinary monitoring played a critical role throughout the pregnancy. Ultrasound examinations conducted every two weeks allowed clinicians to track fetal development and quickly identify adverse changes that prompted intervention. Zoo officials also credited gorilla care staff for training Olympia to voluntarily participate in ultrasound procedures, enabling advanced prenatal care with minimal stress. After surgery, veterinary technicians and keepers provided round-the-clock care for the infant while Olympia recovered from anesthesia. The baby remained close to his mother to maintain visual, auditory, and scent contact. Zoo officials report that both Olympia and her son are recovering well, although staff continue to closely monitor their health during the critical post-operative period. For more information, visit the Woodland Park Zoo Blog.
