Many are eagerly awaiting the birth of Suga's baby. That's because orangutans are an endangered species due to deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra, and over the past year only one baby orangutan has been born in zoos across Europe.
The average age for pregnancy among orangutans in zoos is around 10. The gestation period lasts about eight and a half months, and Biblical Zoo staff say she is expected to give birth in May–June . Suga has so far gained 10 kilograms during her pregnancy. The father is 19-year-old Ita.
Despite their high intelligence and many similarities to humans, Suga has not exhibited any unusual cravings or changes in her diet during the pregnancy, according to the team at the zoo that is caring for her.
“What we have seen is that the orangutans’ natural instinct to wrap themselves to preserve body heat has become much stronger in Suga since the pregnancy,” according to a caretaker. “She spends most of the day wrapped in sheets and blankets donated by people doing Passover cleaning.”
Dr. Nili Avni-Magen, the zoo’s veterinarian, is hopeful that Suda's pregnancy will be healthy “The breeding program is managed jointly under the umbrella of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which matches individuals based on genetics and age to maintain a stable and healthy population," she explainedf. "Over the past year, only one Bornean orangutan infant was born in member zoos, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that Suga’s pregnancy will be a wonderful addition.”