A baby Sumatran orangutan was successfully born at the Toronto Zoo around 3 p.m. on April 8. According to the zoo, both the 29-year-old mother, named Sekali, and the child appear to be healthy. The Sumatran orangutan is an endangered species making the birth that much more special.
Officials explained “Sekali’s maternal instincts kicked in right away: she immediately held the baby against her body, cleaned it, and showed concern whenever it vocalized. She even carefully repositioned the umbilical cord when shifting positions,” The zoo released a video of the mother cleaning her newly born baby.
The pregnancy was a typical length for an orangutan, lasting roughly 243 days, one month shorter than that of a human. This is Sekali’s second child, her first son was with a 16-year-old male orangutan. CEO of the Toronto Zoo Dolf DeJong said “we are incredibly excited to welcome this new addition to the Toronto Zoo family,”
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