Across Dublin Zoo, something extraordinary occurred recently—a group of 30 local mothers gathered with one shared goal: to help teach Mujur, the newly-minted mother orangutan, how to bond with her newborn. Born on July 31, the baby orangutan, whom Mujur has yet to name, heralded joyous news amid the zoo community after the bittersweet passing of Sibu, the infant's father, just months prior.
With the zookeepers worried about Mujur’s previous struggles to connect with her offspring, they launched the innovative lactation learning project. According to zookeeper Anthony McClure, previous attempts at helping Mujur bond with her earlier infants did not succeed. "It’s been bittersweet for us. Sibu gave us one last gift, but it was sad he was not here to see it. We didn’t even know they had mated until we found out about the baby," said McClure.
Understanding the challenges of newborn care, and acknowledging the fragile conditions surrounding orangutans—which are critically endangered—veterinary staff and zookeepers conjured up the idea to enlist breastfeeding mothers. They weren’t just asking any mothers; they wanted women willing to breastfeed their babies right before Mujur, hoping the orangutan would mimic their nurturing actions. After all, orangutans, like humans, learn through observation.
The mothers participating included many who volunteered on short notice, anxious to contribute to the care of Mujur and her baby. One such mother was Nora Murphy from Rathfarnham, who took her 10-month-old daughter Elodi along. "You find yourself rooting for her. You go from being a mother to trying to help another mother learn. I felt like I was passing the torch on," Murphy described passionately.
The daily sessions saw these mothers sitting opposite Mujur, safely separated by glass barriers, nursing their infants. The setting was vibrant and filled with emotion as mothers expressed not only their milk but also words of encouragement. "A lot of women said: ‘Look, an orangutan doesn’t wear T-shirts,’" noted Lizzie Reeves, the midwife leading the program, who coordinated these early morning baby bonding sessions.
Reeves conveyed gratitude toward the participating mothers and narrated how they energetically engaged Mujur. Only four women were permitted each day to maintain quiet and focus, but it proved effective—Mujur was observant, curiously watching the mothers and their infants as they fed. She was especially captivated by Nora and Elodi. “It was unbelievable,” Reeves marveled, recounting how Mujur seemed to mirror their actions, gathering bedding and sitting at the window, her head resting on her hands, intently focused on what was going on.
This collective experience had its hopeful moments. Mujur began showing signs of wanting to understand this nurturing role as she watched and became accustomed to the various ways the mothers cared for their babies. Zookeepers were optimistic as each passing day brought signs of progress until the moment Mujur gave birth.
Despite the enthusiasm, the bond Mujur needed wasn’t solidified. On the day of the birth, she executed almost everything right but failed to get the infant to latch on for breastfeeding. "She was doing fantastic. She held the baby correctly, looked after him the right way, but unfortunately, she just didn’t get it," reflected McClure. He added, "It was about positioning, and she simply didn’t manage to. We were rooting for her."
With the reality hitting home, zookeepers made the tough call to intervene, opting to bottle-feed the newborn. This decision did not come easily, as they had hoped Mujur could manage it on her own. Regardless, her efforts to nurture were evident. They noted, "She did everything else perfectly. It became this bittersweet experience because we gave it every chance we could, but sometimes nature needs help."
The baby is now being hand-raised by the care team at Dublin Zoo and will soon transition to the esteemed Monkey World Nursery, known for its expertise with young orangutans. McClure elaborated, "We are nurturing him to make sure he becomes big and strong. He has excellent lungs and is thriving. We will take care of him until he can head to the best place possible for young orangutans."
Indeed, amid the heart-wrenching challenges of motherhood—whether human or orangutan—there is always hope. The staff at Dublin Zoo, as well as the dedicated mothers, shared this hope, for they understood the significance of their efforts. The birth of the newborn is not just personal for Mujur but contributes to the broader survival effort for orangutans, which face extinction due to habitat loss and other environmental pressures.
Niamh McGill, the zoo's veterinarian, emphasized the importance of this new birth. She noted, "Orangutans are critically endangered; giving birth every three to five years is incredibly rare for these majestic creatures, making this event not only pivotal for Mujur but for the species' future as well."
Reflecting upon the entire experience, one can’t help but feel the intertwining of human and animal care. It’s evident these mothers thought about Mujur’s plight regularly, even sharing their own breastfeeding journeys. Although it may not have worked out as they had hoped, the volunteer mothers contributed something significantly valuable—not just for Mujur, but for their spirits, too.
Overall, this attempt to create shared learning opportunities between species highlights the beauty of compassion and support. The mothers took knowing risks; they left their comfort zones to aid another species’ mothering instincts and shared their experiences during intimate moments of motherhood anytime shade or seasons called them to. That sense of sisterhood, filled with warmth and empathy, leaves one feeling hopeful. It’s these connections, after all, which remind us of how nurturing spirits can shine brightly, even through glass barriers. And this bittersweet narrative of Mujur and her baby is just another page turned, one filled with lessons learned and promises of brighter tomorrows.
