Human Teaches Ape to Breastfeed — Manuela Hoelterhoff

Zoe, a new-mom orangutan at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, didn’t know how to breastfeed her newborn. A lactating human zookeeper showed her how.

The zookeepers knew Zoe was not was not up to this basic task in 2021 when her first child was born, a baby boy that Zoe would hold at arm’s length, not close enough to feed or bond with. Because Zoe’s own mother had died unexpectedly when she was just nine months old, she never learned these essential skill sets. Zoo staff tried and failed to show her the ropes using a doll model, and eventually they had to intervene to feed the kid. (Today he’s fine).

So when Zoe got preggers again last year, the staff tried to school her in the ways of maternal instincts. They set up a TV in her enclosure so she could watch videos, over and over again, of orangutan mothers giving birth and caring for their young.

But when her second baby boy was born in December, again Zoe wouldn’t do what new mothers do. That’s when zookeeper Whitlee Turner, a new mom herself, was asked to breastfeed her own baby, Caleb, in front of Zoe for a live demonstration.

“I just had my breastfeeding bra on, and I was able to show [Zoe] everything with zero modesty. I wanted her to be able to see the whole process because orangutans don’t wear shirts. I wanted her to be able to see my breasts and see Caleb and be able to see him rooting and looking for it and the latch," Whitlee explains. “The whole time she just kept watching me curiously.”

Success! Within 24 hours, Zoe was nursing her baby for the first time. The young mom and her yet-unnamed boy are healthy and bonding. Visitors to the zoo can even catch a glimpse of the heartwarming pair from the Safari Train Ride. Or, you can watch a video of the breastfeeding lesson here.