Women have been blessed with the ability to give birth and nurture their children, not only does the body grow the child, it produces food for it after birth as well.
However, some females struggle with finding their maternal instincts and have trouble after their babies are born.
This is not only true for humans, but for other creatures in the animal kingdom as well.
Zoe, an orangutan at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Moseley, Virginia is one of the females who understand this struggle.
When Zoe gave birth to her first baby, she had no immediate motherly instincts and didn’t even try to care for the child, it was raised on bottles by the zookeepers.
Zoe became pregnant again and, this time, the team of keepers who looked after her wanted to try and kickstart her instincts.
Before her baby was due to arrive, zookeepers set up a tv in her enclosure that displayed the process of an orangutan giving birth.
Videos would play on repeat and Zoe watched them over and over again, preparing herself for what was to come.
It wasn’t just the tv she was interested in, zookeepers would sometimes put on other things for her to watch and she would ignore them, but as soon as the birthing videos came on, she was back at attention.
And watching these videos worked!
Soon after she gave birth the new mom took amazing care of her young child; she couldn’t however, master breastfeeding.
When her keepers realized this was happening, they devised a plan to help her learn.
A zookeeper who had recently given birth herself was asked to bring her baby in and teach Zoe how the process worked.
Whitlee Turner brought her young son, Caleb, in and they sat with Zoe.
Whitlee recalls that she was very exaggerated in her movements and the process in order for Zoe to see and understand what was happening.
Zoe paid attention to the lesson, watching the process closely, and soon realized that she was meant to do the same.
And though it didn’t happen immediately, Zoe soon began to breastfeed her baby.
The mother took amazing care of her new baby, caring for him and showing him off to the other orangutans and the zoo staff.
Her baby is safe and healthy and well cared for, and everyone involved is delighted.
Zoe’s keepers are happy with her attentiveness and the fact that she learned everything she could from the videos and live demonstration from Whitlee.
It is believed that because Zoe was orphaned at a young age, and raised by humans, she never had the chance to learn from her own mother.
As for Whitlee, she said that after she first gave birth she had issues with breastfeeding and it took her a while to get the hang of it.
She understands Zoe’s troubles and recalls being incredibly pleased to help a new mother, whether human or animal, be able to care for their baby.
Meet Zoe and the Metro Richmond Zoo team who helped her in the video linked below.
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