Last month, our frontline partners TaHukah spotted a wild orangutan with twins! This is exceptionally rare. Typically, after a gestation period of about 8.5 months, mothers will give birth to one tiny orangutan baby! And that mother will dedicate the next several years of her life to raising that single offspring.
The first ever recorded sighting of wild orangutan twins was in 2007, in Borneo. While there have been a few instances of orangutan twins born in captivity, witnessing them in their natural habitat like this is a truly special event.
So, why are twins so rare? Think about the challenges of raising two infants simultaneously in the forest. It’s a demanding task!
Life in the Trees: Orangutans spend most of their lives in the trees. Carrying two infants while navigating the canopy would be incredibly difficult, and potentially dangerous for the babies.
Years of Care: Orangutan babies stay with their mothers for years, learning crucial survival skills. Raising two babies at once would be demanding on the mother, stretching her resources and energy.
Resource Scarcity: Producing enough milk to nourish two growing infants requires a lot of food. In the wild, food can be scarce, making it a real challenge for a mother to support twins.
Let’s celebrate the incredible dedication of orangutan mothers! We hope to see this orangutan mum and her babies thriving in the forest again soon. Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate your own mum, this Mother’s Day? Send her a beautiful e-card and donate the cost of printing and postage.
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