Critically endangered orangutan born at Sacramento Zoo

It’s always amazing news when a new baby animal is born, but it’s even better when they’re part of a critically endangered species: each new birth is a step towards ensuring the species’ survival for another generation.

This week, the Sacramento Zoo announced incredible news: a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan gave birth to an adorable baby.

The zoo announced that 19-year-old female Indah gave birth to a male infant on May 1. The arrival marks the first orangutan birth at the zoo since 1981.

“Both mother and infant are doing well,” Sacramento Zoo reported, adding that mother and child were receiving round-the-clock observation from staff.

It is Indah’s first baby, and while they said her behavior “was appropriate,” she was having difficulty nursing. The zoo team stepped in to provide the newborn with supplemental care, but plan to reunite the mom and child as soon as possible.

“The baby is currently receiving around the clock care by animal care and veterinary staff while the team is continuously reevaluating plans to reunite the infant with Indah. The timeframe for reintroduction is unknown at this time, but that remains the ultimate goal.”

Despite that complication, they reported that both Indah and her baby “remain healthy and well.” They are being kept behind-the-scenes and are not visible to the public at this time. However, the zoo said they would continue to provide updates about this beautiful newborn.

The sumatran orangutan has been listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List since 2000. A major threat to the species has been a loss of their habitat due to deforestation, logging, and the palm oil industry.

Every new birth is great news for this critically endangered species — this adorable newborn is giving hope for the species’ survival. Welcome to the world!

Please share this amazing news if you love orangutans!