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Following the arrival of three endangered Sri Lankan leopard cubs in April, Singapore Zoo has welcomed yet another adorable youngling into the wildlife park. Meet Ayaan, a male Sumatran orangutan born on March 18 via caesarean section after a high-risk pregnancy. This birth is no regular one – it’s believed to be the first documented case globally involving placenta praevia in an orangutan where both mother and infant survived.
Born to 29-year-old mother Chomel, Ayaan – whose name means “blessing” – arrived after years of effort to preserve a genetic line that may otherwise have been lost. His father, Charlie, is a 48-year-old Sumatran orangutan whose genes are considered rare – which means there are very few close genetic matches to Charlie among Sumatran orangutans living in zoos and conservation programmes. This makes successful breeding a priority, and has been accomplished under a regional conservation programme coordinated by Mandai Wildlife Group and the Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA).
However, the journey here hasn’t been smooth sailing – after repeated unsuccessful pairing attempts between Charlie and Chomel since 2018 under a breeding programme, Mandai turned to assisted reproduction, succeeding only on the third round. The hurdles didn’t end there – the pregnancy took a complicated turn in January when Chomel developed placenta praevia, a dangerous condition where the placenta blocks the birth canal, making natural delivery impossible with a risk of severe bleeding. With limited documented cases to reference, Mandai’s veterinary and animal care teams spent two months preparing for the rare procedure alongside specialists. At last, 233 days into her pregnancy, Chomel underwent the planned caesarean section on March 18. Ayaan was delivered after a 20-minute procedure.
That was about two months ago. Now, Chomel and Ayaan have since returned to the orangutan exhibit, and if you’re lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the pair. To support Chomel as a nursing mother, Singapore Zoo has also introduced a rotational exhibit schedule for its Sumatran orangutans.
Mandai states that this milestone is more than just a heartwarming birth announcement – Ayaan’s arrival represents an important conservation achievement. Today, Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered due to habitat loss, illegal pet trade and human-wildlife conflict. This makes managed breeding programmes increasingly important to preserving genetic diversity. Ayaan’s birth not only safeguards Charlie’s lineage, but also contributes valuable veterinary knowledge that could support the care of great apes worldwide.
Find out more about Mandai here.
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