Reunions between babies and their mothers are always heartbreaking to watch. But a story of an orangutan mother and the separation from her baby evokes feelings that are indescribable.
Clara and her baby Clarita lived a peaceful semi-independent life until Clara’s baby was kidnapped by a dominant male and taken from her.
It was a week before mother and baby were rescued and taken to Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rescue Center in the Borneo jungle of Indonesia..
But reuniting the two wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds.
Staff were so relieved to find the two but were unsure about the reunion.
The reunion could have gone many ways. If Clara’s baby smelled different she may reject her but if she did have her back, there was also the danger that she may not feed her.
Their fascinatinating reunion was captured as part of a new TV show, “Orangutan Jungle School”, which follows the life of orphan orangutans.
Park staff held baby Clarita up to her mother so she could see her but didn’t dare let her touch her at first incase she tried to hurt her.
Clara is kept in a cage to protect her baby.
Thankfully, Clara recognized her baby and was so eager to get her back.
Clara was able to touch Clarita through a cage and smell her thanks to a cautious operation by park staff.
As mama orangutan reaches out to touch her baby it’s clear her motherly instincts have not left her.
When staff are confident that Clara won’t harm her baby, she is allowed to hug her again. Staff wait to see if Clara will feed her baby.
The moment when Clarita cries out for food and Clara feeds her has all the staff crying with happiness. It’s such a touching moment.
See for yourself in the video below.
It’s so wonderful to see a happy reunion with mother and baby, I’m so glad these animal heroes were on hand to help them.
Please share this wonderful story with all your animal-loving friends on Facebook!
