Asmara the baby orangutan at the Fort Wayne Zoo. (Photo provided)

A baby Sumatran orangutan born at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo on Nov. 22 has a name – one that reflects how special she is to the zoo and the entire population of these endangered apes. Her name is Asmara, which translates to “love” in Indonesian.

Now 11 days old, Asmara and her mother, 19-year-old Tara, are bonding behind-the-scenes at the zoo’s orangutan exhibit. Asmara is developing normally and Tara is providing excellent maternal care. Like all orangutan infants, Asmara clings to her mother constantly and will continue to do so for the next several months.

Asmara the baby orangutan. (Photo provided)

As the only Sumatran orangutan to be born in a United States zoo so far in 2014, Asmara represents an important addition to the zoo-dwelling orangutan population. About 320 Sumatran orangutans live in zoos worldwide, and only about 15 babies are born each year in the world’s zoos. Fewer than 7,000 Sumatran orangutans remain in the wild forests of Sumatra, Indonesia.

The breeding Tara with 28-year-old Tengku was recommended by the Orangutan Species Survival Plan, a program of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums that seeks to maintain genetic diversity within zoo-dwelling populations of endangered and threatened animals.

Because Asmara is Tara’s first baby and Tara has never observed another female caring for an infant, officials were concerned that she may not know how to care for her baby. Zoo keepers had extensive plans in place should Tara fail to provide care, but so far, none of those measures have been needed.

Zoo fans can watch for baby photos on the zoo’s Facebook and Twitter pages in the coming weeks. Zoo guests will have their first chance to see the new baby when the zoo opens for the season on April 25.

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