Rubih, a 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth to her first baby on Friday morning, December 22, 2023, at Jungle of the Apes at the Saint Louis Zoo, the first in the past nine years.

The newborn and its mother are doing well and bonding in the private maternity area of Jungle of the Apes. At times, Rubih may choose to spend some of her day in the orangutan dayroom at Jungle of the Apes where guests may get a glimpse of the pair; however, there is no set schedule.

“The first couple of months are critical for newborn orangutans,” said Helen Boostrom, Zoological Manager of Primates, Saint Louis Zoo, in a press release. “Rubih is a first-time mother and is doing an excellent job caring and providing for her baby and showing great maternal behaviors.” 

Since Rubih is keeping the baby close for the time being, the Animal Care team has not been able to determine the sex of the baby. Once the sex is determined, a name will be selected by the care team. 

The baby’s father is Cinta, 19, who came to St. Louis in 2012 from the San Diego Zoo. Rubih was born at the Zoo in 2004 to Merah. Merah and Cinta’s daughter Ginger, Rubih’s half-sister, was born in 2014 and lives with the family group at the Zoo.  

Prior to the birth, the Primate Care and Animal Health teams worked with Rubih to allow voluntary ultrasound examinations to proactively monitor the health and development of the baby during gestation, which is between eight and nine months.