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For Zookeepers, Orangutan Birth is About Awareness, Conservation

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

Fort Wayne is expecting a hairy new addition to arrive by December. One of the Sumatran Orangutans at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is expecting.

A tremendous amount of planning and work goes into the captive breeding of the critically endangered species, and preparing the orangutan to be a mom.

The Indonesian rainforest – one of earth’s most biologically diverse landscapes – humid home to the rare Komodo dragon, pythons, and the endangered Sumatran orangutan.

But we’re not across the globe – this is the Indonesian rainforest exhibit at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. I’m here to meet Tara, one of three local orangutans. Lead orangutan trainer Angie Selzer says Tara was recently taken off of her birth control.

“And with the hopes that we would hopefully have a baby in the fall when we’re closed," says Selzer. "That gives us some leeway as far as getting everything prepared, and letting her do her thing, bond with the baby. It’s definitely family planning, and it all worked out. Time wise it was perfect.” 

While most were thrilled when Tara’s Clear Blue Easy test came back positive, Selzer had some mixed feelings.

“Me in general it was more, there’s a lot ahead of us, knowing that now I had a timeline I had to follow," says Selzer. "But it’s exciting, now I feel like it’s been so long, I feel like she’s been pregnant forever.” 

Which makes sense – it’s been a ton of work for Selzer so far. She made a thirty page birth management plan that goes through every possible scenario they could encounter; from emergency C-section, to Tara rejecting the baby.

“We’re working on ultrasound," says Selzer. "She’s not a fan of the gel on her belly, and you’ve got to put a lot on because she’s got a lot of hair and we can’t shave her bald. It’s not as easy as doing a human ultrasound.” 

Future mommy and daddy are also preparing by training with a stuffed animal.

“At first, well we’ve had issues of Tengku tossing it down the aisle or something," says Selzer, "but they’re praised and they’re rewarded for being gentle with the baby, the fake baby.”

Now Tara knows to bring the baby to Angie when she holds up a bottle.

“She’s not a morning girl" says Selzer, "so if you go in the morning and you want to train with her, you can definitely tell she’s just not gonna have it.” 

Tara’s pregnancy  was no accident. More like the result of an orangutan dating service.

Lori Perkins is at the Atlanta Zoo and heads the orangutan division of the national SSP, or Species Survival Plan. She says “we do an annual planning where we go through the genetics of the population, and they call us matchmakers, we come up with who should be mating with who and make those recommendations to zoos.” 

Perkins says breeding plans aren’t only about the numbers.“They’re not just chess pieces to us, they’re thinking and feeling individuals and we want them to be happy and to promote their welfare as well.” 

So why all the work? Tara is one of less than 1,000 Sumatran orangutans in captivity. The species is critically endangered – that’s just one step away from extinction. There are only about 5,000 left in the wild.

“That aged old competition between wildlife and humans,” says Perkins. 

In the orangutan’s native Indonesia, palm oil is thriving, and being grown unsustainably.

“Long story short what’s happening is that oil palm plantations are driving out orangutans it’s as simple as that," says Perkins.

Perkins says lots of people think they can’t do anything because it’s happening so far away, but she doesn't think that's the case. 

“If we start becoming more aware of the ingredients in our food, and acting as responsible consumers," says Perkins, "then yeah actually we can make a difference, and we can turn the tide.” 

So how does captive breeding play into all that?

“When they meet Tara or they meet Tengku, or I can’t wait until they meet this baby this fall," says Perkins, "that turns hearts and minds, and that can make people walk the walk.” 

Ultimately it’s important to preserve the biodiversity of the planet, and human activity has made it so lots of wildlife just can’t keep up with the change, including orangutans.

“They deserve to be here," says Perkins. "They’ve been here longer than we have, and we’ve made it an unfair fight.” 

Perkins is confident that Tara will do a good job rearing her newborn. Although orangutans learn by observation, and Tara is a first time mom, Perkins says the most important factor is having been reared by a good mother yourself, which Tara was.

Back at the zoo, it’s getting close to Tara’s due date, and trainer Angie Selzer remains cautiously optimistic. She says you never want to get your hopes up, because anything can happen.

That’s why she’s just taking it one day at a time – caring, training, feeding . As far as Tara having any strange cravings? 

“I haven’t noticed," says Selzer. "She hasn’t asked for anything specific.” 

So, with a top staff at the ready, all that can be done now -  is wait.

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