Zoe the orangutan was born at the Metro Richmond Zoo 14 years ago, and was soon orphaned when her mother died. Two years ago, she had a son named Taavi, but didn't breastfeed him and he was hand-raised by zoo staff. This past December, Zoe gave birth to her second child, but still didn't know how to breastfeed. She didn't have the experience of being around other orangutans when they raised their children. We look at breastfeeding as instinctual in many animals, but it appears to be a learned behavior in higher primates. Before Zoe's second baby arrived, zookeepers showed her videos of orangutans giving birth and nursing their babies. But she needed more.
Whitlee Turner, a zookeeper who has a four-month-old baby, agree to help teach Zoe what to do. She brought her son Caleb to the zoo and introduced him to Zoe. Then she breastfed Caleb so Zoe could see. Zoe watched intently, but did not immediately imitate Turner. However, within 24 hours, zookeepers noticed Zoe breastfeeding! The new orangutan baby, who does not yet have a name, is reportedly thriving. -via Metafilter