BRISTOL, ENGLAND, UK – Seven-week-old Afia, the first gorilla born by Caesarian section in the U.K. was taken by one of her surrogate zoo keeper mothers into the gorilla enclosure for the first time on Wednesday (March 30).
It was a tiring moment for the tiny creature, who fell asleep in her keeper’s arms.
The western lowland gorilla was born in an emergency C-section operation last month, which is both very rare and risky in animals.
Her mother is still recovering from the operation.
Four keepers are now taking responsibility for providing 24-7 care for baby Afia, who was carried around the enclosure like a human baby.
“Gorilla babies will naturally have a very strong grip and they will cling onto you quite tightly. And so we are replicating that, so she is with us 24-hours-a-day. So I had Alia tucked up nice and warm under my fleece where she feels nice and comfortable,” said Lynsey Bugg, who takes Afia home with her.
“I’ve done rearing children, I’ve got two children at home, I know how tired you are, but the fact that we are in a full time job on top of that, for all of us is extremely hard,” she said.
Keepers hope once Afia’s mother is well again she may accept the baby gorilla as her own.
Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered.
Afia’s name was chosen by public vote and means ‘Friday-born child’ in Ghanaian.