A baby gorilla was born last week at England's Bristol Zoo through cesarean section. C-sections are performed extremely rarely on animals, but the procedure saved the mother, 11-year-old Kera, and the baby. A gynecologist, Dr. David Cahill, came in to deliver the baby, and though he'd performed the procedure hundreds of times on humans, he'd never done a C-section on a gorilla, reported ABC News.

Cahill had worked with the gorillas before, so it made the experience even more meaningful. "Having been involved with the care of these gorillas over the years, with some trepidation and excitement, we were invited to the zoo to assess the well-being of Kera, because she was in late pregnancy and showed some signs of being unwell," explained Cahill, according to ABC News. She was suffering from preeclampsia, a condition which can cause organ failure, reported Fox News.

Rowena Killick is one of the veterinarians who was present for the operation. She said it was a very challenging process. "The baby needed some intensive care immediately after birth and it is still very early days, but we are cautiously optimistic and will be keeping a very close eye on both her and Kera," said Killick, according to ABC News.

Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered, reported the BBC, so the zoo is extra-thrilled that mom and baby made it through.

"Along with having my own children, this is probably one of the biggest achievements of my life and something I will certainly never forget. I have since been back to visit Kera and the baby gorilla, it was wonderful to see them both doing so well," said Cahill, according to ABC News.