A heartwarming union was captured at a Kansas zoo this week when a chimpanzee mother met her baby for the first time 14 hours after she gave birth via C-section.
Named Mahale, the 30-year-old primate at The Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita gave birth to her first offspring since her last baby died accidentally two years ago when he was just five weeks old.
The new baby, a female called Kyansa, was named after a mountain in the Mahale National Park in Tanzania, and was featured in a video.
Watching how Mahale immediately pulled her new infant into her arms, cuddling her close, is proof of the strong “positive signs of bonding”, according to caretakers.
“The pair will remain behind the scenes to allow time for Mahale to heal from surgery and for mom and baby to further develop their bond.”
“Another surgical delivery was prescribed in order to reduce the risks sometimes associated with natural births after C-sections.”
Dr. Laura Whisler and Dr. Janna Chibry of College Hill OB-GYN in Wichita, Kansas, performed the cesarean section alongside the Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams.
Mahale spent the night recovering from anesthesia before being reunited with baby the following morning. (WATCH the sweet moments below…)
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The 30-year-old chimpanzee has remained a key figure at the zoo, forming bonds with younger troop members, and being a loving “auntie” to a 1-year-old chimp resident.
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