By Brittany Anas / NewsBreak Denver
(Denver, Colo.) “You’ll go ape for our pregnancy news!” the Denver Zoo quipped with its announcement that Eirina, a Sumtran orangutan is pregnant.
“Sumatran orangutans are ‘critically endangered,’ so any new addition to the species is a huge conservation win,” says Carlie McGuire, digital content manager at the Denver Zoological Foundation.
Eirina came to Denver Zoo in 2016 from the Dortmund Zoo in Germany as part of a breeding recommendation from the Species Survival Plan, a program managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, McGuire says. They match individual animals throughout AZA-accredited organizations for breeding and Eirina had two recommendations with males at Denver Zoo.
Denver Zoo last welcomed an orangutan baby in 2018 and Eirina’s baby will bring the group to a total of six, including Eirina, Hesty, Cerah, Berani and Jaya.
The gestation period for Sumtran’s orangutan is usually 8 1/2 to 9 months. Eirina is due in late July or early August, McGuire says. The zoo will post updates on its social media pages.
Earlier this year, Denver Zoo announced the birth of a baby Linne two-toed sloth. The zoo named the baby Wicket using a public naming competition. Other options included Cappuccino and Rain.
“Wicket is staying close to mom, but you can catch a glimpse of him in his Tropical Discovery home,” the zoo says.
In more baby news, Fiddle and Clementine are two new additions to the endangered bongo herd.
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