In nature, this is quite uncommon. Male orangutans seldom assist in raising their babies in the wild.
One of the most surprising and heartwarming stories is the one involving the Colorado Zoo.
While her mother was abroad, Bento opted to raise Celine by himself, who was only two years old at the time. Bento’s spontaneous behavior stunned the zookeepers.
In the meanwhile, the orangutan has shown to be a loving and caring parent. ‘ Celine had no idea she’d have a dad like that.
Bento, according to the zookeepers, is acutely attuned to her needs and is always on the lookout for her.
Denver Zoo workers say that despite Bento’s exceptional care of Celine, she is unable to fully fulfill the role of mother when it comes to rearing the children.
By the way, Bento has been a parent before. The orangutan has in the past been asked to assist with the care of a cub that was not his.
Celine, 33, Celine’s mother, passed away in December. We can learn a lot from animals.
