Zoo keepers were surprised by the birth of a Sumatran orangutan, an endangered species, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
A spokesperson for the institute managing the local zoo stated that the infant was born on Sunday, but veterinarians have not yet determined its sex or given it a name. The birth was expected in April or May.
The Audubon Institute indicated that the infant's father, named Jambi, arrived from Hanover Zoo in Germany in 2018 and is classified as one of the most genetically valuable male animals in North America.
Fewer than 14,000 orangutans remain in the wild, facing threats in their native Southeast Asia due to development, mining plans, and palm oil plantations, which categorize them as "endangered" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Sumatran orangutan is one of three species of long-haired orangutans.
