Virginia Zoo welcomes its first-ever baby orangutan
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Virginia zoo has welcomed its first-ever baby orangutan.
The Virginian-Pilot cites a Monday release from the Virginia Zoo that says the baby is the first offspring between 18-year-old Dara and her mate, 15-year-old Solaris.
The zoo's executive director, Greg Bockheim, says the birth is significant for the zoo and the overall species, which is critically endangered. The zoo says orangutan populations have declined by more than 50 percent in the past 60 years because of issues such as poaching or the illegal pet trade.
The baby orangutan was born Friday, but its weight and sex were unknown as it hasn't been separated from its mother.
A baby orangutan usually stays with its mother for two to 10 years.
Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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