Endangered Sumatran Orangutan Born in Sacramento Zoo, First Since 1981

The Sacramento Zoo welcomed its first orangutan young since 1981 when an endangered Sumatran orangutan was recently born in their care.

The 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan Indah gave birth to a healthy infant on May 1, according to the Sacramento Zoo.

Sumatran Orangutan

Only 79 Sumatran orangutans are being cared for by humans in the United States, according to the Sacramento Zoo, and with the wild orangutan population rapidly diminishing, every birth is a huge achievement for the species.

According to the zoo, Indah was brought to the zoo in the capital city in 2017 as a suggested match for a male orangutan named Makan.

The zoo worked with Indah for several years to train behaviors that would let the staff help with the future baby. This helped prepare her for a prospective birth.

This involved bringing a dolled-up orangutan to the mesh to be bottle-fed, gently enclosing the "infant," moving away and offering the dolled-up orangutan her nipple.

Care at Sacramento Zoo

Following the birth, zookeepers and a group of veterinarians started making round-the-clock checks to make sure the mother and child were doing well.

According to the Sacramento Zoo, Indah was having trouble nursing, so the team decided to step in and provide the baby with more care while keeping him in constant view of his mother.

The zoo claims that the pair will eventually be reintroduced, although they are unsure of when this will occur.

The baby and mother are currently hidden away and not available to the general public, but the Sacramento Zoo reports that everything is going well for them, ABC10 reports.

Sumatran Orangutans in the Wild

The Sumatran orangutan inhabits tropical rainforests among the trees almost completely. Adult males rarely travel on the ground, and females hardly ever do. There are rumors that Sumatran orangutans and their Bornean cousins are more socially connected. This has been attributed to the quantity of fig tree fruit, which enables the Sumatran orangutans to be fed in big groups. Typically, adult males live alone, while females are joined by their young.

The Sumatran orangutan's historical range encompassed the whole island of Sumatra and extended farther south into Java. The North Sumatra and Aceh provinces make up the majority of the species' remaining range, which is currently limited to the north of the island, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Species Survival Plan® Programs

Managing an ex-situ species population with the interest and participation of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, Certified Related Facilities (CRFs), and Sustainability Partners is the goal of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) collaborated to manage the Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program. AZA SSP Programs are chosen by Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs) via the RCP process based on documented demand and possible sustainability within the AZA community.

They developed a Breeding and Transfer Plan that outlines population goals and suggestions for managing a genetically diverse, demographically diverse, and biologically sound population. As a result of a shared dedication to cooperative populations and program management, success is attained when SSP animals can accomplish program goals and originate from biologically sound populations, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.