Indianapolis Zoo celebrates birth of rare Sumatran orangutan

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis Zoo is celebrating the birth of a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan.

The zoo's 23-year-old Sumatran orangutan, Sirih (SEAR'-ee), delivered the healthy baby Wednesday. Zoo officials said Thursday both mother and newborn are healthy and the baby is nursing often.

The pair is spending time together in a large, comfortable nest that Sirih built. The newborn's gender isn't known yet because Sirih is holding her offspring close to her.

Zoo Director Rob Shumaker says the baby orangutan's arrival "gives us special reason to be joyful" because Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered with only thousands remaining in the wild.

Orangutans are found in the wild only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, where they face growing threats, primarily habitat loss to make room for farming developments.