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News reports reveal that Prof David Cahill and Dr Aamna Ali had carried out the operation on the mother gorilla, Kera, 11, who had suffered life-threatening pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy.

Knowing fully well the risks involved in pre-eclapsia cases, it was feared that Kera and her unborn baby could die if she went into labour.

Daily Mail reports that the procedure had taken eight zoo-keepers who had carried Kera, weighing 20-stone into a clinic at the zoo following the administration of  anaesthesia in her compound.

Prof Cahill, who has reportedly carried out 3,000 C-sections on humans, revealed that:

“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've since been back to see the baby and she has fattened up quite nicely. I held her for ten minutes and that was very special.

"They have an unusually strong grip and she was clinging onto my finger and my shirt very tightly."

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Only a handful of gorillas have reportedly been delivered by cesarean section in the world.