Denver Zoo is thrilled to announce their newest critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan.

The lovely female was born March 25 to mom, Nias, and dad, Berani. The new baby has been given the name, Cerah, which means “bright” in Indonesian and is often used to refer to sunshine.

Cerah arrived through a natural and uneventful birth, and keepers report both mom and baby are in good health. They are currently behind-the-scenes to give them time to rest and bond and allow the Zoo’s staff a chance to ensure Cerah is receiving proper care and nourishment from Nias.

Mom, Nias, is 29-years-old and arrived at Denver Zoo in 2005. Berani is 25-years-old and arrived in 2017. The two were paired together under recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® Program, which oversees the population management of select species within AZA member institutions and enhances conservation of those species in the wild. The coupling proved to be a fast success, as Nias and Berani met in July of 2017 and conceived Cerah less than a month later.

Photo Credits: Denver Zoo

The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) is one of the world’s most endangered great apes. It is among the many species being pushed to the brink of extinction in South East Asia by hunting, forest clearance and the planting of palm oil plantations, which are destroying vast areas of rainforest. There is intense demand for the oil, which features in all sorts of every day products, throughout the world, from food to cleaning materials and cosmetics.

The species currently has a classification of “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

According to the official report by the IUCN: “The most recent population estimate for the Sumatran Orangutan is 13,846 individuals, in a total area of 16,775 km² of forest (Wich et al. 2016). Excluding populations of fewer than 250 individuals (i.e., considering only populations that are potentially viable over the long term) leaves just 13,587 individuals. The vast majority (i.e., 95.0%) occur in the Leuser Ecosystem, while other populations are found in the Sidiangkat and Pakpak. The 2016 estimate is higher than the previous estimate of around 6,600 individuals remaining (Wich et al. 2008), as it takes into account three factors: a) orangutans were found in greater numbers at higher altitudes than previously supposed (i.e., up to 1,500 m asl not just to 1,000 m asl), b) they were found to be more widely distributed in selectively-logged forests than previously assumed, and c) orangutans were found in some previously unsurveyed forest patches. The new estimate does not, therefore, reflect a real increase in Sumatran Orangutan numbers. On the contrary, it reflects only much improved survey techniques and coverage, and hence more accurate data. It is extremely important to note, therefore, that overall numbers continue to decline dramatically.”

(More amazing pics, below the fold!)