ST. LOUIS — The Saint Louis Zoo welcomed the arrival of a baby orangutan on December 22, marking the first orangutan birth at the Zoo in nine years. This birth is important because these are critically endangered Sumatran orangutans.
Rubih, the 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan mother, gave birth at the Jungle of Apes at the Zoo. Both the mother and the newborn are currently in good health, bonding in the private maternity area of the Jungle of the Apes.
At times, Rubih may choose to spend part of her day in the orangutan dayroom at the Jungle of the Apes, offering guests a potential glimpse of the pair; however, there is no set schedule for these appearances.
As Rubih keeps the baby close for the time being, the Animal Care team has been unable to determine the baby’s sex. Once determined, the care team will select a name for the newborn.
The baby’s father is Cinta (pronounced Chin-tuh), 19, who arrived in St. Louis in 2012 from the San Diego Zoo. Rubih, born at the Zoo in 2004 to Merah, has a half-sister named Ginger, born in 2014, who resides with the family group at the Zoo.
