There’s a new baby at the Saint Louis Zoo!
A baby orangutan was born Friday, Dec. 22, to Rubih (pronounced Roo’bee), a 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan. This is the first orangutan born at the zoo in nine years – an important addition to the population of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan.
The newborn and Rubih are doing well and spending time bonding in the private maternity area of Jungle of the Apes. There may be times when Rubih chooses to spend time in the orangutan dayroom, where visitors may be able to get a glimpse of her and the baby, but providing orangutans with an option of privacy is an essential part of their quality care.
Since Rubih is keeping her newborn close, the Animal Care team has not yet been able to determine the baby’s sex. Once a determination is made, the team will select a name for the newborn.
The newborn’s father is 19-year-old Cinta, who came to St. Louis from the San Diego Zoo in 2012.
The birth was the result of a breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP), a scientific program to manage a genetically healthy orangutan population for the critically endangered species.
The three orangutan species — Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans, which are endemic to Sumatra, and Bornean orangutans, which are endemic to Borneo — are highly endangered due to an alarming rate of habitat loss. A global demand for palm oil has resulted in widespread deforestation and subsequent drastic declines in the number of orangutans that survive in the wild.
