New Orleans ( Associated Press) — Endangered Sumatran orangutan baby Bottle-feeding at the Zoo in New Orleans because her mother was not producing enough milk.
Audubon Zoo spokeswoman Anne Kinler Mathern said Wednesday that the still-unknown baby was also being tube-fed, but the tube was removed on January 13.
The great apes, named for their long red hairs, are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Threats to the Sumatran species include hunting and destruction of forests and peat swamps where they spend almost all their time in trees.
Twelve-year-old Menari gave birth to a baby boy on Christmas Eve; A twin brother was born dead. A few days later, the baby was showing signs of weakness and lack of feeding.
Veterinarians examined Menari for the first time and discovered a lactation problem.
Since then the baby is looked after round the clock by the zoo staff wearing cute vests that the baby can cling to. Matherne said six to seven hours a day are spent in front of other orangutans to get to know him.
“Care staff have noticed that the group is most anxious when changing diapers or bottle feeding!” Said a Jan 13 update.
Month, Jambi’s oldest at 2 years old The three New Orleans offspring are “particularly interested in the new little boy,” the statement said. Madu, The second, was born in February 2021.
In a recent video, the zoo’s associate veterinarian, Dr. Daniel Cutler, gently pulls the baby’s hands out of the fur vest of hospital keeper Amy Jones, saying, “He … is probably not going to like it – He wants to be nice and close and chested.”
The child clung to Cutler’s index finger as he raised it in the air. Looking around, he pulled himself up until the top of his head was the same length as the fingers held by him.
“He’s starting to say, ‘I don’t like where I am… Put me back down.’ That’s exactly what we want him to do,” said the vet.
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