DENVER – Move over, Tatu! The newest member of the Denver Zoo has just been born and it’s safe to say the pictures of the newborn and its momma bonding might be one of the cutest things we’ve ever seen.
The infant – who hasn’t been named yet but who is believed to be a female – was born Sunday to mom Eirina, according to Zoo staff.
Officials said in a news release Wednesday both are thriving in their Great Apes habitat in Primate Panorama, marking a “momentous occasion for both Denver Zoo and the global conservation community,” as Sumatran orangutans are listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a rapidly declining wild population due to “habitat loss, illegal hunting and the black-market pet trade.”
The Zoo’s Animal Health team will do a DNA test in the coming weeks to determine if the baby’s father is 30-year-old Berani, or 15-year-old Jaya.
Officials also said the public may be able to catch a glimpse of the baby as she continues to bond with Eirina and explore her surroundings starting Wednesday.
Denver Zoo officials report this is Eirina’s first baby after receiving a breeding recommendation as part of the Sumatran Orangutan Species Survival Plan and “provides an invaluable boost to the critically endangered species.”
Eirina came to the Denver Zoo from Germany’s Dortmund Zoo in 2016 and enjoys spending time with the Zoo’s other female orangutans, including 13-year-old Hesty and 5-year-old Cerah.
The orangutan’s pregnancy was announced back in April and her pregnancy even made national headlines after the zoo’s Animal Care team help innovate a cure for Eirina’s morning sickness.
The Zoo encourages the community to support world-class care for Eirina, her baby and the rest of the orangutan group by donating to its Orangutan Baby Registry and stay tuned for more updates.
A contest to name the new baby orangutan has not been announced.
