Orangutan That Gives Birth Confuses Keepers As She Bolts Toward Them With The Baby

Although zoo animals feast on provided meals and generally feel comfortable around people, they are still wild creatures at heart. Their keepers can't force them to do something they don't want to, even if their survival depends upon it — just like with one group of zoologists in 2013. They'd put all their resources into helping along the next generation of one primate family, but in the end, the big delivery still sprung one big surprise that they never saw coming.

Dana the orangutan

Dana the orangutan was under a lot of pressure. It's not like she had a job or mortgage to pay off, but the future of her entire species was at stake, and their chances weren't looking too great.

The beauty of Jersey Zoo

Of course, Dana herself didn't have to worry. She and a handful of other orangutans lived in England's Jersey Zoo. They had everything they needed there, thanks to the inspiring vision of one man.

Soft spot for orangutans

Naturalist Gerald Durrell founded the conservation center in 1959. Though he designed it to house well over one hundred species, he always had a soft spot for orangutans. It was clear how much was at stake.

Is it too late?

Sumatran orangutans like Dana once thrived, covering a large region of the Indonesian islands. Since the dawn of globalization, however, their fortunes had turned considerably. Some feared it was already too late to save them by 2013.