The Denver Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a brand-new Sumatran orangutan. The news is significant because the species is critically endangered, meaning Sumatran orangutans are facing the threat of extinction.
The baby was born this past Sunday to Eirina, an orangutan that calls the zoo home. Officials say both the mother and baby are doing well. Eirina is one of the three orangutans at the zoo, alongside 30-year-old male Berani and 15-year-old male Jaya. The zoo says they plan to do a DNA test to figure out which one is the father.
For now, visitors can capture a glimpse of the yet-to-be-named baby and mother while visiting the zoo. The Denver Zoo operates as a non-profit conservation organization and says they’ve set up a baby registry for donations here.
According to the World Wildlife Foundation, Sumatran orangutans call parts of Malaysia home, but their territory continues to shrink. Currently, there are fewer than 15,000 left in the entire world.
