At the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, a newborn chimpanzee was reunited with his mom on Thursday after being born just two days before that after, it was determined by the veterinarian medical team the mom needed a cesarean section.
According to the zoo, Chimpanzee Mahale had been in labor, but she wasn’t doing well as she was not progressing as needed.
Drs. Laura Whisler and Janna Chibry of College Hill OB-GYN were on hand to perform the cesarean section with the zoo’s veterinary team. The pair have consulted with Sedgwick County Zoo veterinarians on all great ape pregnancies for the past decade – most recently delivering Samatran Orangutan, Lily, via Csection in 2018.”
Zoo
And when baby chimp Kucheza was born via C-section, he was noted to have low oxygen levels and therefore needed treatment and bottle feedings from the animal care team.
And fast forward just two days, the zoo posted the most heartwarming video of Mahale and Kucheza being reunited as mom spotted her baby when released back into her enclosure. The baby is snuggled in a pile of soft blankets when his mom entered carrying a white blanket. She seemed a bit apprehensive – that is until she notices a tiny hand reaching out to her. She rushes over, sifts carefully through the blankets and picks up her baby closely embracing him in her arms.
Words can barely describe the heartwarming moment as the two are reunited. Listen carefully and you can hear one of Mahale’s caretakers crying for joy.
This was Mahale’s third baby. The 28-year-old chimp is part of a breeding program to help the endangered species. The chimps in the wild have lost their homes because of habitat changes and an increase in poaching.
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