Blaze the Orangutan Ultrasound

Blaze, due in January, has been trained to participate in routine ultrasounds to allow the Animal Management and Veterinary Teams to monitor the growth of her fetus. She is also being trained for a number of maternal behaviors, including bringing a specified object forward on request; this is preparation for what will ultimately be regular requests to present her infant for visual checkups. While most human first-time mothers may not have the luxury of training prior to the arrival of a child, animal care professionals are leaving no stone unturned with either of the great ape moms-to-be. The training regimen for Blaze includes gradual desensitization to the sensations of parenthood, including the feeling of having their hair grasped by little hands. Birth management plans are in place should either new mother prove unable or unwilling to put these months of training in action when the infants arrive. Sumatran orangutans face a particularly dire situation, with extinction possible in as few as 10 years without targeted conservation efforts. Zoo Atlanta is home to the nation's largest zoological collection orangutans, now with one on the way, and Vice President of Collections Lori Perkins serves as the national Chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) Orangutan Species Survival Plan.