NEW ORLEANS — The critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan, New Orleans, is now pregnant with twins. This was announced by the New Orleans Zoo on Thursday.
Bob MacLean (senior veterinarian at Audubon Zoo), stated in a press release that “we are very excited about the pregnancy.” “Twinning in orangutans is very rare — it is possible only about 1 percent of the time.”
Menari will have the births in December/January. However, the third and fourth sires are Jambi and, which were brought to New Orleans by a German zoo.
It could take six years before there are any more babies in the group.
Sumatran orangutans give birth to their offspring around 7 years of age. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, this is the longest time between two births of any mammal — 8.2 to 9.3 year.
Hunting and destruction of forests and peat swamps have decimated the great apes, named for their long red hair, which has led to their extinction.
According to the IUCN, approximately 13,500 people are living in wild populations that can sustain themselves.
Officials said that watching Feliz and Reese, a matriarch who arrived in New Orleans in 2018, from ABQ BioPark, Albuquerque to give birth and raise their daughters, has prepared hand-raised Menari to become mothers.
Bulan was born July 2019 by Feliz, Menari’s mother. Reese’s daughter , Madu, was born on February.
Menari is being trained by veterinarians and keepers at the zoo to be ready for motherhood.
If everything goes according to plan, the Audubon twins of the orangutan will be the second couple born there.
After being born to Sarah, Bon Temps, and Lagniappe in 1985, they were raised by hand. Bonnie, who died at Zoo Miami in 2016, was followed by Lana, 36. Lana is currently at Greenville Zoo, South Carolina.
