A “critically endangered” baby orangutan was just born at the Toronto Zoo.
In a press release, the Toronto Zoo announced that its Sumatran orangutan Sekali gave birth on Friday.
“The day prior to the birth, Sekali was exhibiting signs of restlessness and discomfort,” the release reads. “Keepers monitored her closely overnight and although she seemed to settle down and looked comfortable, it was noted that her eyes were open for a much larger portion of the night than usual.”
The zoo said Sekali’s water broke at 11:30 a.m., and that things “progressed smoothly right through to the baby’s birth.”
“Sekali’s maternal instincts kicked in right away: she immediately held the baby against her body, cleaned it, and showed concern whenever it vocalized,” the release said.
The zoo said Sekali brought the baby up to the keepers, and they identified the newborn as a male.
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Dolf DeJong, CEO of Toronto Zoo, said they are “incredibly excited to welcome this new addition” to the zoo family.
“This orangutan baby is an important contribution to a genetically healthy Sumatran orangutan population in human care, DeJong said. “Meanwhile, Sumatran orangutans are under increasing pressure in the wild due to habitat loss and the palm oil crisis, which we are working with partners to address.”
DeJong said the zoo is “proud to play an important role in the conservation of this amazing species.”
The zoo said Sekali and her newborn will not be viewable to the public “until further notice.”
According to the zoo, this is Sekali’s second offspring, but is the first offspring for Budi, a 16-year-old male.
Sekali, who is now 29-years-old, gave birth to her first son named Kembali in 2006.
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