Bottle-fed baby orangutan at New Orleans zoo fascinates other apes

Caretakers at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans are hand-raising their latest primate pal with round the clock consideration — and it’s attracted some consideration.

A Sumatran orangutan toddler — a member of a critically endangered species — is being bottle-fed on the New Orleans zoo after his mom skilled issues in producing milk, the Related Press reported. 

The unnamed child ape was initially being tube-fed till Jan. 13. 

Now the toddler is receiving fixed care from zoo staffers decked out in furry vests for him to cling to as they have a tendency to him.

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Twelve-year-old orangutan and first-time mom Menari gave beginning to twins on Christmas Eve, however one of many infants was stillborn. 

The lone survivor began exhibiting indicators of weak spot and a scarcity of nursing days later.

Veterinarians examined Menari and found the mom was experiencing lactation points. 

For the reason that toddler has been taken into the zoo handlers’ care, he’s been consuming properly and now weighs 4.35 kilos, in line with Bob Lessnau, Audubon Nature Institute’s vice chairman and common curator. 

The Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature has thought of the species of nice apes, recognized for his or her lengthy purple hair, endangered since Sumatran orangutans face threats equivalent to searching and forest and peat swamp destruction.

Lessnau mentioned in an announcement that the child is being uncovered to different orangutans for six to seven hours on daily basis. 

The group of apes appears to be most intrigued with their latest addition throughout bottle feedings and diaper modifications.

Two-year-old orangutan Bulan, the oldest of father Jambi’s three, is “particularly within the new little man,” in line with a Jan. 13 assertion.

Audubon Zoo senior veterinarian Bob McLean shared that Menari is at the moment being given a drug that may assist keep lactation. 

Consultants from the Kids’s Hospital of New Orleans have additionally been introduced in to assist discover methods to stimulate the child’s suckling.

“We don’t know if she [Menari] will keep or restart lactation if we’ve a profitable reintroduction of the toddler to her,” McLean mentioned on Wednesday.

However there’s nonetheless hope for Menari.

She, too, was hand-raised and was efficiently reintroduced to her mom at eight months, in line with Audubon’s senior veterinarian, Bob MacLean.

Sumatran orangutans aren’t weaned till they’re about 7 years previous, and females have the longest interval between births of any mammals — 8.2 to 9.3 years, in line with the Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature.

The Related Press contributed reporting.