Extract from ABC News
A team of neonatal caregivers on the New South Wales South Coast has taken time out from treating human patients to save the life of a baby gorilla born 10 days ago at the Mogo Wildlife Park.
Key points:
- Doctors and nurses on the South Coast have saved a baby gorilla born at Mogo WIldlife Park
- The baby developed sepsis pneumonia after his dad took him away from his mum
- Zookeepers say the baby and his mum are now doing well
Broulee GP Lisa Hyde said that it was "the experience of a lifetime" to help care for the infant after she received the call for help last Sunday.
"It was excitement, disbelief and sadness that the little fella was in that situation," she said.
"But after a few minutes we sort of kicked into gear and went, 'we'll do this how we normally do, run it how we would normally run it'."
Zookeeper Chad Staples said the baby boy and his mum were stable after surviving a traumatic first few days.
"It's been very emotional. He's such an amazing, beautiful little creature," he said.
Dad steals baby after a traumatic birth
The baby, which is yet to be named, was born on Friday, October 21 to first-time mum Kipenzi.
While the birth went well, Kipenzi was scheduled to have surgery afterwards to remove the placenta.
In the eight hours after the birth, before the surgery, the baby's dad Kisane stepped in and took the baby.
The next few hours would prove to be an ordeal for zoo staff, as it meant the baby was not being fed in the critical window after being born.
"Dad decided to then get involved, which as lovely as it sounds, is not actually what you want that early on," Mr Staples said.
"You want him to be interested in the baby, but not to take it."
It is extremely rare for a male gorilla to take such an interest in a baby and Mr Staples said it was unlikely they would ever understand why he did it.
"Did he step in because he knew something was still wrong with Kapenzi, was he trying to assist in some way? We will never know," he said.
After 14 hours, Kisane finally left the baby on its own and keepers rushed to retrieve it.
By this time, the newborn was suffering from sepsis pneumonia, caused by an infection that triggers a harmful response by the body's immune system.
Local doctors called in
Doctors, vets, nurses and midwives from local hospitals and clinics swung into action.
Caroline Stewart, a paediatrician from Bega, video called the team to help with an action plan.
Dr Hyde said gorilla babies were surprisingly similar to human children.
"Essentially we were using the same parameters as a human baby," she said.
They were able to stablise him and he is now recovering with his mum.
As a mum to three teenagers of her own, Dr Hyde said it was a humbling experience to help another mum.
"As a mum, you relate to mums of any species, and pregnancy, childbirth, that postpartum period is really fraught. We're not alone when we go through that," she said.
"Babies of any species look at you with those big eyes, and it just makes you feel better about the world."
Mr Staples said he has been overwhelmed by the support of the community on the South Coast.
Like any new parent, he said he was sleep deprived, but incredibly happy that the new baby was alive.
"He's doing two hourly feeds, so I'm catching naps in between," he said.
"He's blown us away with his will and his strength. He's just a fighter."
In a facebook post on Sunday, Mr Staples said that the nasal feeding tubes and oxygen lines for the newborn had been removed.
"So today, seven days after he needed to come into care we have finished medications on our little man. The nasal feeding tubes and oxygen lines have all been removed, which is such a huge relief," he said.
"We now watch and monitor closely of course but we are headed in the right direction. The rest of the family are all much more relaxed, routines are getting back to regular, and trust accounts are getting deposits again.
"Long way to go, with plans upon plans depending on what the group is showing and telling us.
"As always in everything we do our animals come first. Their emotional, mental and physical needs are our primary concerns, so we will just take this one day at a time."
Western lowland gorillas are native to Africa and live in the forests of Gabon, Central Africa Republic, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
They have been listed as critically endangered due to disease and poaching, although their exact numbers are not known as they inhabit some of the most dense and remote rainforests in Africa.
Scientists estimate the number of wild western lowland gorillas has decreased by 60 per cent in the past 25 years.
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