Baby girl Bornean orangutan born at Columbus Zoo

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) – Last week, the Columbus Zoo welcomed a baby female Bornean orangutan into the world, marking the first birth of the critically endangered species at the zoo in over 60 years.

The baby orangutan was born on Nov. 28 at 12:34 a.m. to first-time mother Khali, who is 17. The zoo said the baby appears to be “bright and strong.” It also reports that Khali is attentive to the baby’s needs and spends her time grooming and snuggling her baby. Khali has been bringing her baby over to the keepers for visual examinations, the zoo said.

In preparation for the birth of the baby, Khali was separated from the other two orangutans. Introductions to the baby’s father, 30-year-old Sulango, and a 49-year-old female, Dumplin, are now taking place. All the orangutans were together for the first time on Saturday, which went well, according to the zoo. 

The zoo described Sulango as a “protective yet gentle and patient father.” Sulango sired two males at Zoo Atlanta before arriving at the Columbus Zoo in 2013. Both Dumplin and Sulango show interest in the baby while also respecting Khali’s space, the zoo said. 

Orangutans are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The pairing of Khali and Sulango was recommended by the Species Survival Plan, a program that aims to maintain genetic diversity of endangered species. 

The orangutans’ indoor viewing habitat in the zoo’s Australia and the Islands region is currently closed to guests while the newly expanded orangutan family continues to bond.