Awww: Mother and Daughter Sumatran Orangutans

Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2013, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

A two-week-old, female Sumatran orangutan at the San Diego Zoo is cradled by her mother, Indah, who inspects the baby’s hands and fingers. The baby, sporting shaggy, reddish-orange hair in tufts was born with spindly arms, longer than her body, and a natural instinct to hold tightly to her mother.


     Indah gave birth to the baby Oct. 25 in her off-exhibit bedroom under the watchful eyes of her keepers. Animal care staff report the little primate is healthy, nursing, and being very well taken care of by her protective and attentive mother. This is the second baby born to Indah, and dad, Satu, who shares the same habitat but takes no role in caring for the youngster.

     The baby and her mother can be seen in their exhibit on Orangutan Trail at the San Diego Zoo. They also may be watched on the Zoos Ape cam at www.sandiegozoo.org/apecam.

     Orangutans are native to the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered, with an estimate of less than 7,000 remaining in the wild. Their populations have declined drastically in recent years as a result of habitat conversion to palm oil plantations, over-harvesting of timber and human encroachment.