This is the adorable moment the first baby gorilla born by c-section in the UK gave a wide SMILE for the camera after waking up from a nap.
The Western lowland gorilla Afia gave a huge grin after mastering the skill of standing on all fours – before tumbling back onto her fleecing bed.
The miracle girl was delivered in a remarkable operation by a top gynaecologist in February.
Zookeepers became concerned when tests revealed the baby was becoming unresponsive and doctors were drafted in from a local NHS maternity hospital.
Medics performed a c-section on the 11-year-old mother, Kera and after a dramatic battle to save the infant was born weighing 2lbs 10oz.
The arrival at Bristol Zoo is understood to be the first successful c-section delivery of a gorilla in the UK – and one of fewer than ten in the world.
The cute video was filmed five weeks ago when she was just nine weeks old, and was revealed for the first time yesterday (Fri).
Now Afia has ventured out on to the island enclosure a the zoo, and keepers said she still loves snoozing out in the sun.
A spokesperson for the zoo said: “She is becoming more aware of her environment and is much more tolerant of a range of textures.
“She enjoys the grass on the island as well as gorilla bedding called wood wool. She still finds sand a little odd but will play in it!
“Afia now sleeps for longer periods overnight and only feeds once in the early hours of the morning. She’s much more active in the day to make up for this though!
“She is starting to mouth at solids, which is very promising.
“Her keepers are giving her small amounts of steamed vegetables which are offered to her when the other gorillas are eating. Her favourite vegetable is still sweet potato!
“She has four teeth in total (top and bottom incisors), and is chewing on everything – exploring the world by putting things in her mouth.
“Afia’s hand-eye coordination is improving a lot.
“She likes to swipe at and grab anything that takes her fancy but her accuracy will get better over the coming months. She is also beginning to understand cause and effect.
“Keepers have set up ropes for her to grab and she likes to watch these swing.”
“She is still too young to climb, so her keepers have made her a small climbing frame to pull herself up on.
“She can also scoot on hard surfaces as well as cling onto and pull herself up on mesh.
“She still giggles when she is being tickled but no more so than at the earlier stages of her development – keepers say that she takes herself very seriously.”
