Adorable Baby Gorilla Celebrates First Birthday

It was an extra-special first birthday for a baby gorilla at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Joanne, the baby gorilla, had to be delivered through an emergency cesarean section last year and had a rough start in life with medical problems when she entered the world.

Peggy Sexton, animal care manager at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park said, “She had to be born via C-section, and had some medical problems. But those were all resolved in about 10 days and she was re-introduced to the troop and now she’s just as normal as can be.”

Now, as the issues have been resolved, the zoo, along with Joanne’s mother, Imani, celebrated the landmark occasion with yam cupcakes and a cardboard doll house as a gift.

The animal staff at the zoo even wrote “Happy Birthday Joanne” with chalk on rock walls at the back on the gorilla habitat.

Watch Joanne's Miracle Birth