Infant Rearing Success at the Toledo Zoo using Multiple Rearing and Training Techniques

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Successful Orangutan Infant Rearing at the Toledo
Zoo using multiple training and rearing
techniques
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Preceding birth

• Began training with doll and manipulation
• Ultra sounding
• Leave on exhibit where she will remain calm, bed
  heavily
• Facility design did not facilitate night watches

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Kutai was acclimated to a toy orangutan, and
rewarded for approaching it when it vocalized
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Kutai was trained to respond to the cue Feed the
Baby, and would present her breast though the
bars to the toy orangutan
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• She would also allow the keepers to manipulate
  her nipples to check for lactation

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When it was discovered that Kutai was pregnant,
we began acclimating her to ultra sound training
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• We began by having the keeper use the wand, then
  passed the behavior to the vet staff, and then
  eventually an ultrasound technician

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We were able to map the entire pregnancy and
better predict parturition
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We were also to map progress and record vitals
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Protocol At Birth

• Give 48-72 hours of observation as long as the
  baby looks okay
• Work with mom to encourage maternal behavior
• Encourage proper infant placement
• Verbal reinforcement for nursing

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• Born on exhibit April 23, 2004.
• Found by the keeper, away from his mother in an
  off exhibit cage
• Had been cleaned and the umbilicus had been taken
  care of
• Was hypothermic and needed immediate medical care

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• He was at the hospital for 4 days, then we began
  bringing him to the building to allow the
  orangutans to see him

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• Kutai nursed him through the bars when asked

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• At 13 days, his incubator was moved to the Ape
  House, within 4 feet of orangutan exhibit

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• We worked with Kutai to allow him to nurse
  through bars first, then supplemented with
  formula

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Bajik was exposed to all of the orangutans daily
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We also would sit in the holding cage with him
and let him get comfortable, while Kutai sat on
the other side of a divider
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We would also close him in by himself to allow
him to adapt to the cage
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• At 5 months of age when Kutai was not showing
  signs that she would take full care, we began to
  allow MJ access to see the baby as well
• Kutai was picking him up at this time but would
  eventually put him down and walk away, with Bajik
  crawling forward on his own to eat.
• We needed a mother to carry him all the time
  before we could put him in the main exhibit

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At 6 months, we began allowing him to have short
interactions with MJ. MJ laid down by Bajik and
rested her hand on him
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At around 7-8 months we began leaving him in with
MJ for the entire day, with her bringing him
forward and allowing him to eat
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MJ, within a little more than a week, refused to
separate from Bajik, so we allowed them to be
together overnight.
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• When introduced back to the group, MJ sustained
  an injury that required medical treatment.
• Kutai, retrieved Bajik and cared for him
  overnight

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Boomer, the following day, picked up Bajik and
has cared for him ever since, bringing him up for
feeds when asked.
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Boomer carries Bajik, shares his nest, and
cuddles him if Bajik is upset
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Khali

• We used the same trained behaviors again for
  Kutais second pregnancy, both ultra sounding and
  reinforcing maternal care with the toy orangutan,
  as well as nipple manipulation

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• Khali was born on May13, 2006 and Kutai cleaned
  the infant and exhibited appropriate maternal
  behavior
• Kutai was brought off exhibit so that we could
  closely observe her maternal care

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• She was observed to nurse the baby initially

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but began to hide under blankets and not allow
observations
At 72 hours, the infant was removed to be
checked
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The infant was allowed to nurse from Kutai while
she was sedated, then reintroduced when she awoke
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• Kutai was then given another 72 hours with
  constant observation

• Khali was then removed
• Nursing observed infrequently
• Infant not as bright and alert
• Kutai not holding baby in proper position
• Low blood glucose level

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Started bottle feeding formula while also
encouraging Kutai to nurse the baby through the
bars
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• We used the same technique with Khali
• Would get up and come forward when baby cried
• Manipulated her own breast into the babys mouth
• At 12 days (5 days post-removal), as Kutai was
  allowing Khali to nurse, we adjusted the baby
  onto Kutai and let go, allowing her to take the
  baby back

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• We then encouraged Kutai to nurse the baby, and
  would ask her to bring the baby forward when
  possible for supplementary feeds

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Over the next few months, the bottle feeds were
reduced as the nursing sessions increased both in
numbers and duration
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• In this time period, as Kutai cared for Khali,
  Boomer continued to care for Bajik and the
  re-introduction was smooth and uneventful
• Kutai and Boomer have both become great parents
  and share the care of the infants

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Kutai spends quite a bit of time playing with
Bajik now and although protective, will allow
Boomer to have contact with Khali
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• The Toledo Zoos success has been due to
• Training positive maternal and cooperative
  behaviors prior to birth
• Strongly encouraging mother and conspecifics
  involvement in the infant care
• Flexibility and thinking outside the box