2 human doctors save the day, help deliver baby orangutan at Kansas zoo

WICHITA, Kan. -- Two doctors were called in to help with a special delivery - not at a hospital, but at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas.

Daisy the orangutan went into labor in the middle of the night, but experienced severe complications.

"The zookeeper noticed was that there was a delay in her labor. Normally they deliver very quickly and that wasn't the case for Daisy," Whisler said.

One of the vets called a pair of her personal OBGYNs to assist.

Dr. Laura Whisler and Dr. Janna Chibry performed a successful C-section on Daisy. Minutes later, little Lily was born.

"It was very surreal and definitely one of the best days at my job I've ever had," Chibry said.

"It's definitely one of those moments that will be part of our stories that we tell to our grandkids," Whisler said.

Both doctors have delivered hundreds of babies. This was their first orangutan.

Human doctors are rarely used by zoos. They're called in to assist on only the most urgent cases.

This happened last year at the Philadelphia Zoo. A whole team was brought in to help 17-year-old Kira the gorilla deliver her baby boy.