A male Sumatran Orangutan infant
born at Zoo Atlanta on January 10 came into the world in an unusual way:  he was delivered by Caesarean section with
the help of human obstetricians, neonatologists, and veterinary
anesthesiologists.   This Caesarian
section is one of only three to be performed on Sumatran Orangutans in recent
years. 

Zoo Atlanta’s animal care staff
planned for this important delivery for months. 
The baby’s 16-year-old mother, Blaze, is a small-bodied female, and she
had a previous infant who did not survive the birth process, possibly due to Blaze’s
small size.

Photo Credits:  Zoo Atlanta

The Caesarian section was performed
by the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team in conjunction with a human obstetrical
team, a veterinary anesthesia team, and a human neonatal team (including a
respiratory therapist, nurse, and neonatal cardiac specialist), all from nearby
hospitals and universities.

“It was an exciting honor to be
included in this team of specialists to help Blaze give birth
successfully,” said Sandy Jun, MD, of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.  “It was very rewarding to use our
human neonatal skills to deliver this orangutan newborn safely, and we were
glad to find that many of those skills translated seamlessly across species. It
is not something we will forget.”

Blaze appears to be recovering
normally from the procedure, and her infant is currently in a nursery unit in
the care of the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team and primate care professionals. The
team hopes to reintroduce the infant to Blaze as soon as possible so that the
new mother may begin bonding with her newborn.

“We’re delighted that Blaze’s infant
has arrived safely, and that infant and mother seem to be doing well,” said
Raymond King, President and CEO. “We’re doubly grateful for the support and
participation of such a wide range of outside medical experts, all coming
together with our team to follow an extremely well-executed plan with a superb
level of professionalism and dedication.” 

Blaze, who was trained to
participate in voluntary ultrasounds throughout her pregnancy, has been under round-the-clock
observation since her birth window began on January 2. 

The infant’s father, 33-year-old
Benny, has been temporarily separated from Blaze but will be reunited with her
and his new offspring soon. Zoo Atlanta is home to the nation’s largest zoological
collection of Orangutans, now with 14 individuals.

Now believed to number fewer than 7,000
in the wild, Sumatran Orangutan populations have declined drastically in recent
years as a result of habitat conversion to palm oil plantations,
over-harvesting of timber, and human encroachment. Without targeted
conservation efforts, experts predict that the species could be extinct in the
wild within 10 years.