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Zoo Atlanta Delivers Baby Sumatran Orangutan Via C-Section

Medical team consisted of human and animal doctors.

GRANT PARK — Blaze, a 16-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth to a male on Jan. 10 at Zoo Atlanta. He was delivered via Caesarean section with the consultation of an extensive pre-appointed medical team that comprised human obstetricians, neonatologists and veterinary anesthesiologists. Blaze’s Caesarean section is one of only three performed on Sumatran orangutans in recent years. She is a small-bodied female, and her reproductive history includes a previous birth, but the offspring did not survive the birth process, possibly due to causes related to Blaze’s small size. These factors prompted the Zoo Atlanta Animal Management and Veterinary Teams to compile a detailed birth management plan in preparation for several potential birth …

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