Florida Zoo welcomes endangered orangutan baby

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo in Florida has welcomed a new male Bornean orangutan born on 21 December.

An endangered male Bornean orangutan was born 21 December at a Tampa zoo. Image by Tampa’s Lowery Park Zoo

The male orangutan’s birth was complicated by the fact it was in breech position, but came out healthy. The baby was named Gojo after its parents Josie and Goyang.

According to the zoo’s website, orangutan females are some of the best moms in the animal kingdom. The infants are dependent on their mothers at birth and become independent at 8 or 9 years old.

Orangutans are the only great apes that are from Asia and are an endangered species.