Rare Orangutan Birth: Zoo Awaits Suga’s Baby – Endangered Species Hope

Jerusalem – The Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem is anticipating the arrival of a Bornean orangutan infant, a particularly significant event given the species’ endangered status and recent low birth rates in European zoos. Suga, a 10-year-vintage orangutan, is expected to give birth between May and June, having already gained 10 kilograms during her pregnancy.

The impending birth is being closely monitored by zoo staff and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), which manages a breeding program designed to maintain a genetically healthy population of orangutans. Dr. Nili Avni-Magen, the zoo’s veterinarian, explained that the program carefully matches individuals based on genetics and age. “Over the past year, only one Bornean orangutan infant was born in member zoos, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that Suga’s pregnancy will be a wonderful addition,” she said.

Orangutans face a critical threat from deforestation in their native habitats of Borneo and Sumatra. Both islands are the only places in the world where orangutans can be found in the wild, with the Bornean orangutan specifically limited to the island of Borneo. The loss of rainforest to palm oil plantations is a major driver of the species’ decline, according to conservation groups.

Despite their intelligence and close genetic relationship to humans – sharing approximately 97% of their DNA – Suga has not displayed any unusual dietary cravings or behavioral changes typically associated with pregnancy, according to zoo caretakers. However, they have observed a heightened expression of the orangutan’s natural instinct to wrap themselves for warmth. “What we have seen is that the orangutans’ natural instinct to wrap themselves to preserve body heat has develop into much stronger in Suga since the pregnancy,” a caretaker noted. “She spends most of the day wrapped in sheets and blankets donated by people doing Passover cleaning.”

The father of the expected infant is Ita, a 19-year-old orangutan also residing at the Biblical Zoo. The zoo is part of a collaborative effort to bolster the Bornean orangutan population, a species increasingly vulnerable to habitat loss and other threats. The EAZA coordinates breeding programs across its member zoos to maximize genetic diversity and ensure the long-term survival of the species.