Oh, the miracle of birth. Many find it beautiful and quite fascinating to watch – whether it be a human or another species from the animal kingdom. But in this case viewers had the chance to witness a Sumatran orangutan giving birth, right from their computer screens.
When the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust released footage of Dana the orangutan welcoming her baby into the world, it was the first orangutan birth captured on film. But that’s not the only reason why it was so special.
25-year-old Dana had suffered complications during a prior pregnancy. Sadly, the baby was stillborn and her health was put at risk.
Dana at that point was considered infertile due to her fallopian tubes being blocked. However, thanks to the brilliant head obstetrician at Jersey General Hospital, she ended up being able to conceive again. The father was a 28-year-old male orangutan named “Dagu.”
Because of her history, the day Dana gave birth to her baby truly was a miracle.
A camera was set up to capture footage of the special event. Dana delivers the baby by herself in the video, although there was a professional team observing from afar.
Viewers get an up-close view of the very moment the baby enters the world. Please be aware that the video below is a bit graphic…
Dana immediately gets to work with her first duty as a mom.
After catching the baby orangutan in her hands, the new mama cradles it. She then uses her mouth to clean it up. One observer in the video points out, “She’s starting to remove the amniotic sac.”
While we might be used to having a nurse cleanse our babies after their big arrival – it’s not how it works in nature. Dana is the one in charge of this process!
Soon, the infant starts showing more life by moving and screeching. Dana even helps clear its airways with her lips.
One viewer commented:
“Aww, cries just like a human baby, its beautiful. My heart just melted <3”
There are some other screeching noises in the background as well. Turns out they’re coming from Dagu, the infant’s dad, who’s “reacting to his daughter’s birth.” That’s right – it’s a baby girl!
An incredible moment occurs after Dana has her first bonding experience with her daughter.
The female orangutan heads over to where the observers are, just to show off her infant! Like a proud mama, Dana allows the caring humans to take a peek at the newborn up close. In the video, a keeper says:
“This is amazing, she’s come to show us the baby – that is fantastic!”
Having a new baby is exciting for any mother, but it was also very exciting for the Durrell Wildlife Park after Dana gave birth. The organization works to protect species from extinction through its many efforts. Since the Sumatran orangutan is a critically endangered species, it was naturally very joyous news!
As for the baby girl’s name? It was decided that she’d be called Keajaiban (Kea for short), which means “miracle.”
View this post on Instagram
It’s a video that’s been watched more than 4.7 million times on YouTube. How many mothers can say that about their childbirth videos?
Press play below to see the footage of Dana the orangutan welcoming her daughter into the world!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
