Adorable endangered orangutan born at Florida theme park. Photos show the cuteness
An orangutan was born at a Florida theme park — and photos show the cute new addition.
The “critically endangered” little one also represents a big step for her species, according to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
“Every new birth plays a crucial role in securing the future of these magnificent primates, and this is a significant step in conservation,” the park wrote on Facebook when it announced her mother’s pregnancy in January.
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The baby born April 13 is a Bornean orangutan, a species that lives in the wild in Southeast Asia. She weighed 3.4 pounds when mom Luna gave birth to her via cesarean section.
“It’s a girl!” the theme park wrote on social media as it shared photos of the adorable newborn snuggling with a toy and drinking from a bottle. The baby’s name wasn’t revealed in the April 14 post.
“Luna is currently recovering from surgery at the orangutan house and was introduced to the baby this morning,” Busch Gardens wrote. “Once they are both stabilized, they will be reunited, and monitored closely by our vet team and animal care specialists.”
During her pregnancy, the theme park said it was giving Luna ultrasounds and checking her health regularly. She has known the baby’s father, Madju, for about a decade.
Though their baby is tiny for now, female orangutans can weigh up to 120 pounds. The animals are considered “critically endangered” due to habitat loss and black-market demand for the primates.
“They are unique among the great apes in that they do not live in social groups,” Zoo Atlanta wrote on its website. “Adults typically forage on their own, but mothers care for their offspring for years.”
This story was originally published April 15, 2024 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Adorable endangered orangutan born at Florida theme park. Photos show the cuteness."
