Most of the time, orangutan dads don’t help take care of and raise their young. No other animal on Earth spends as much of its life caring for its young as a female does. Even though there were many problems, this ape father at the Denver Zoo raised his two-year-old child well by acting like a mother. After the mother died, the father took on all of the duty for raising his children.
Thursday, the Zoo posted on social media that Nias, the leader of the Sumatran orangutan family, had died suddenly. The Zoo wrote, “We are very sad to tell you that Nias, the leader of our Sumatran orangutan family, died unexpectedly last Thursday.” Nias started working at the Denver Zoo in 2005, when she was only 17 years old. For the past 15 years, she has taught visitors about her rare species, made them laugh, and fought for the survival of her species.
Her 10 year old daughter Hesty and her 2 year old daughter Cerah were often seen taking care of her and playing with her. Cerah is two years old, and Hesty is ten. We are waiting for the results of an autopsy that will be done by our friends at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Services. We don’t know what killed Nias, and we’re still waiting to find out.
Nias became known as the “Queen Bee” of the Great Apes show at the Zoo. This was a name that fit her well. Her handlers knew they shouldn’t give a prize to another orangutan unless they also planned to give it to Nias, and Berani, the orangutan she was mating with, always did what Nias said. While Hesty was still dependent on her, she never let her out of her sight, and she kept a close eye on her. After Cerah was born in 2018, Nias became a calmer place. People then noticed that she was moving around on her own while being closely watched by her mother.
Primate Keeper Cindy Cossaboon of KIRO7 has worked with Nias since her first day at the Zoo. She said that it was great to see this huge guy with this tiny baby. Since her first day at the Zoo, Cossaboon has worked with Nias. “It’s one of those things that starts with a terrible storm and ends with a rainbow. He is really doing a great job. We couldn’t have asked for more for her care.”
Nias is a caring father, so when his daughter cries, he tries to comfort and calm her. Even when she was falling asleep, he would cuddle with her or call her at night.
Cossaboon went on to say that I have a link with these animals that not many people could have. Every person has a unique background, personality, and set of emotions and experiences.
Cerah’s caretakers at the Zoo want her to live a long and healthy life. The story about her bond with her father has gotten a lot of attention because it shows how much humans and orangutans are alike.
Cossaboon said, “It warms my heart to see something that can make us all happy and give us something to look forward to.” “It’s just so heartwarming.” Please tell your friends and family this touching family story because it is about love and family.
