Brookfield Zoo's new baby orangutan ready to meet public

Visitors to Brookfield Zoo can catch a glimpse of a new arrival at the Tropic World-Asia exhibit today.

Orangutan mom Sophia gave birth to a baby girl on Oct. 6. The young Bornean orangutan is one of only two of the species born in North American zoos this year.

Orangutans are endangered in the wild with only 61,000 left because of poaching and rainforest destruction.

Mom Sophia will keep her baby close for the next 10 months and nurse it until age 5.

The baby has two curious siblings that Sophia allows to touch the infant occasionally, Brookfield keepers said.

The zoo is expected to chose a name for the newcomer shortly.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=9&type=video&item=256">First clip of Brookfield's baby orangutan (Courtesy Brookfield Zoo)</a></li> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=9&type=video&item=255">Second clip of Brookfield's baby orangutan (Courtesy Brookfield Zoo)</a></li> </ul> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pagegen/htm/fix/fg/fg_body.asp?sAnimal=Orangutan">Brookfield Zoo's orangutan facts </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>