Denver Zoo Orangutan Birthing Plan 2010

Case History:

Male Sumatran orangutan Mias has no prior history being around any infants or any females giving birth. Female Sumatran orangutan Nias (his mate), appears to have no history around infants or females giving birth. Nias has been with her mom and was raised by her but no history with any infants but was housed with some juveniles. Mias and Mias are together and sometimes separated during the day but not currently overnight. Before birth, they were housed together during the day and separated at night. We started this about a month before she gave birth

Overview:

0.1 orangutan Nias is currently housed with 1.0 orangutan Mias.

Primary Priorities for Upcoming Birth:

  1. To encourage Nias to care for her infant naturally.
  2. To have an action plan in place if Nias doesn’t care for the infant properly.
  3. Other

Secondary Priorities for Upcoming Birth:

  1. To manage Mias’s interactions with Nias and the infant if a problem should arise.
  2. Keeper staff doesn’t know how Nias will handle her upcoming birth and infant as this will be her first offspring. However, Nias was raised by her mother and she is 21 years old (2009).
  3. To refresh Nias on her past maternal training program behaviors.
  4. To train any additional behaviors that might be needed.
  5. To identify which additional keeper staff needs to be able to ask for maternal behaviors. (Create chart of which keepers can do which behaviors).
  6. To be able to comfortably separate Nias from Mias from each other if the need arises.

Staff Assignments:

Keeper Staff: Pre-partum preparations for the birth, employing a positive reinforcement training program to encourage maternal behaviors, post-partum behavioral observations, interfacing with Primate Managers, Veterinary Staff if the need arises and documentation like taking notes of important events, nursery journal, and tracks.of all aspects of the birth process.

Managers/Curators: Monitoring and providing support for all aspects of keeper staff activities, serving as a liaison to vet staff as needed, approving all action plans that are developed and employed subsequent to the birth. Primate Supervisor and Curator need to maintain and build relationships and constant presence with all apes in the building. This will also need to be done with any other staff that may have a reason to be in the building on a regular basis post partum.

Vet Staff: To provide medical support and services for all aspects of the birth and animal health issues including nutrition. Dr. Knightly and veterinary staff needs to maintain her positive relationship with apes and also visit building frequently before the birth so her presence is a normal event.

Pre-partum Preparations:

  • Notify the Night Keeper that Nias will be giving birth within 45 days of target birth date.
  • Notify Vet Staff of Nias’s due date and have them provide nutritional information regarding hand rearing if the need arises.
  • Gather all hand rearing supplies such as bottles, nipples, formula, incubator, thermometer, blankets, scale and nursery record sheets one month before target birth date. Be prepared to have all supplies ready to go down to the Great Apes building.
  • Begin heavily bedding Nias’s cage with wood wool at night one month before her due date. Start this May 7th.
  • Keep Nias in holding overnight with Mias one month before the due date. Start this May 7th.
  • Separate Mias and Nias overnight starting May 26th.
  • Make sure Nias & Mias have access to back holding during daytime wherever they are at in case she starts to go into labor. Start Mid-April.
  • Make sure appropriate staff is aware of the potential need to shut building down or limit access if Nias goes into labor or is having any medical issues.
  • Install camera in all potential birthing areas (may end up restricting night holding for Mias and Nias) since it is impractical for Night Staff to be entering the building to monitor – can do via camera.
  • Continue daily training sessions with Nias and Mias.

Day – Night of Birth:

  • If Nias goes in labor during the day, move her and Mias into the back holding and separate.
  • Once the infant is born we will start a 24 hour watch on Nias and the newborn. Traffic through the holding area will be restricted during this time as to not distract or disrupt Nias, Mias and the new infant. A call down list of staff is completed.
  • Vet Staff should be notified once the infant is born. To keep disruption to a minimum we will utilize staff most familiar to the animals unless there is a medical concern requiring immediate attention.
  • If the infant is born at night the Night Keeper should immediately inform the Primate Curator who will then contact the Primate Supervisor and the primary keeper (Cindy, Michelle or Jody – depending on who is available) who will come in and assess the infant’s condition and begin an around the clock watch of the animals. We will have a schedule of who is watching when developed as we get close to the birth date. Dr. Felicia will also be notified.

Assessing the Condition of the Infant:

  • If the infant is strong and alert, a continuous watch will be done through the night.
  • If Nias is not nursing the infant, and the condition of the infant remains stable, and Nias is not harming the infant, it can remain in the cage until the morning.
  • If nursing has not occurred by morning, then we will use training techniques to encourage Nias to nurse the infant. (Please refer to detailed post-partum training plan).
  • If the infant’s condition appears to deteriorate through the night discussions with Curator, Area Supervisor, keepers and Vet will take place to make decisions whether to remove the infant for examination and care. At the time of the examination, we will allow the infant to nurse from Nias’s breasts and/or feed the infant.
  • If the infant’s condition seems to improve after feeding, we will put the infant back in the cage and continue to observe the animals from wherever causes the least amount of stress.
  • If at any time, Nias becomes aggressive to the infant and begins to injure it we will remove the infant.

Additional Considerations:

  • There is a possibility that the infant may be medically compromised. If this is the case, we will wait for the veterinary evaluation of the infant’s condition. If it becomes necessary to treat the infant, we will proceed with a reintroduction of Nias to her infant as soon as possible. During the time the infant is being treated, we will continue to train Nias focusing on breast manipulation and milk collection. (If this behavior is solidly trained by then). This will allow us to feed the infant Nias’ breast milk. If the infant is stable, we may be able to let the infant nurse from Nias’s nipples through the ultrasound door or cage front. Unless there is a medical concern, the infant will be housed in the incubator in the holding area as near as possible to Nias’s cage to encourage maternal bonding. We will follow the orangutan SSP’s hand rearing procedures at this stage (refer to the Orangutan SSP Husbandry Manual for details).

Plan B- If all of the prior scenarios fail:

  • If we are unable to get Nias to take care of her infant we have the following options to pursue:
  1. Sedate Nias, put the infant on her breasts to nurse, and allow her to recover from anesthesia with the infant clinging to her. During Nias’s recovery, a continual watch would be done to assess the infant’s condition and Nias’s maternal skill level.
  2. Remove the infant for hand rearing; begin working with the infant to take a bottle through the cage front. During the infant’s training, we would work with Nias to allow us to feed the infant through the cage front. This may take several months of hand rearing and infant training prior to reintroduction.
  3. Consider Sally as a surrogate.
  4. Send the infant to another institution for surrogate rearing.

Additionally, a birth plan tracking summary was developed so staff could follow the proper steps as the birth progressed.

Birth Plan Tracking Summary:

Day of Birth:

When Labor is confirmed:

  • Keepers along with Curator or Area Supervisor begin continuous observations; take detailed notes, and possibly video tape birth.
  • Keepers notify supervisor/curator/vets.
  • Restrict access to holding areas to “as needed” basis
  • Keepers begin to warm the incubator. Hospital is getting Primate Staff an incubator that will be housed in Great Apes.
  • If labor goes beyond the regular keeper work day, we will assign someone to stay to monitor labor/delivery/birth

When Infant is born:

  • Continue to monitor Nias and new infant, take detailed notes.
  • Notify supervisor/curator/vets
  • Continuous observations would go for 48-72 hours after birth as long as Nias is showing appropriate maternal behavior
  • Continuous observations would continue UFN if there were any complications

After Hours Birth:

If the Night Keeper Discovers Nias in Labor:

  • They will notify the supervisor/curator and it will be determined who should come in to assess the situation.
  • Night keeper will begin continuous observations; take detailed notes from watching the camera. If they cannot see the infant or Nias from the camera, they will contact the Curator for instructions on how to proceed. It is unlikely we would ask the Night Keepers to enter the back areas unless it was an extreme situation.
  • Notify curator/supervisor/vets
  • Begin to warm the incubator which will be located in the mechanical room (laundry room). Primate staff will move the incubator into the back holding if needed.

If the Night Keeper Discovers Nias has given Birth:

  • They will notify the curator/supervisor and it will be determined who should come in to assess the situation.
  • Night keeper will begin continuous observations, take detailed notes as notated above.
  • Notify curator/supervisor/vets
  • Night keeper begins to warm the incubator as notated above.

Post Partum:

If the Infant is medically compromised:

  • Meet with keepers/managers/vets to form an action plan

If Nias is Aggressive towards the Infant:

  • Separate infant from Nias
  • Meet with keepers/managers/vets to form an action plan

If Mias is Aggressive towards the Infant:

  • Separate Mias from Nias and infant

If Nias is Ignoring the Infant or Interested but NOT Carrying it:

  • Attempt training session to encourage Nias to pick up the infant and hold it in a nursing position to her breast

If the Infant Nursed within 24 Hours:

  • Document all bouts/lengths of nursing
  • Maintain continuous observations and take detailed notes

If the Infant Doesn’t Nurse within 24 Hours:

  • Maintain continuous observations, closely monitoring condition of infant as well as Nias’s behavior, take detailed notes
  • Notify vets to assess medical condition of the infant
  • After 24 hours or time TBD, attempt a training session with Nias to encourage maternal behaviors
  • As long as the infant appears strong, alert and uninjured leave with Nias for up to 72 hours to allow nursing before separating it from Nias

After Birth Management with Nias, Mias and infant:

If Nias is taking care of infant and Mias is interacting appropriately with them:

  • Do nothing and enjoy it

If Nias is taking care of infant after 72 hours but Mias is not appropriate with them:

  • Plan on management of mother and infant separate from male until it is deemed appropriate to reunite them.

If the Infant’s Condition deteriorates after birth (or Nias is not nursing appropriately after 72 hours):

  • Maintain continuous observations, take detailed notes
  • Separate Nias from infant
  • Notify vets to assess medical conditions of infant
  • Feed infant (if there are no medical concerns)
  • Meet with keepers/managers/vets to decide on how to proceed with introduction (if the infant is healthy)

If the Infant is Healthy and a Reintroduction Can Take Place:

  • Reintroduce the infant to Nias
  • Maintain continuous observations of infant and Nias, take detailed notes
  • If necessary, attempt a training session with Nias and infant to encourage maternal behaviors

If Nias Has No Interest in the Infant:

  • Sedate Nias and allow the infant to nurse from both of her breasts (if infant is being bottle fed, do not feed infant prior to this)
  • Leave infant in cage during Nias’s recovery period
  • Keepers begin continuous observations, take detailed notes

If all Efforts to get Nias to Take Care of Her Infant Fail:

  • Begin hand rearing process
  • House infant in holding area in an incubator in front of Nias’s cage
  • Determine an action plan with keepers and animal managers

Post Partum Training Plan:

Assuming the infant’s condition is stable and no nursing is observed, the following may occur:

  • Infant born at night, keepers monitor, training session attempted early to mid am
  • Infant born in early morning, keepers monitor, training session attempted in early to mid afternoon

Infant born in afternoon, keepers monitor, training session attempted later in early evening or may wait until early am dependent on infant’s condition

Behaviors Needed To Accomplish This Follow:

*=Behaviors to be solidified or shaped #=Behavior Already Trained

Nias Holding but NOT Nursing Infant- Infant Strong/Alert

#Hold hands so arms are away from infant (ALL)

# Scratch and touch abdomen (Cindy, Michelle, Jody, Felicia, Ronda?)

# Target nipple to cage front (ALL)

#Work with 2 trainers at once so 1 trainer can do hand hold

And the other trainer can position infant to her breast (this

Could be accomplished through the ultrasound door) (Cindy, Jody, Michelle, Felicia, Ronda?)

#Desensitize Nias to warm wet rag on belly to accommodate ultrasound probe (since she is so adverse to the gel)

*Working with stuffed animal through cage front getting her

Accustomed to being touched by stuffed animal, allowing her

To touch stuffed animal in a gentle manner and training her to

Release her hold on the stuffed animal on cue (ALL)

Other problems associated with above scenario:

  • Infant carrying position may be improper
  • Nias could be jealous of the attention given to her infant. This could be overcome by feeding and talking to her

Nias Ignoring Infant or Nias Interested in Infant but NOT Carrying it:

#Retrieve infant (Cindy, Jody, Michelle)

#Hold infant (object – pick up) (Cindy, Jody, Michelle)

Once Nias retrieved the infant and held infant at cage front the trainers would try to position infant to her breast.

Nias Carries and Nurses Infant but Is Mildly Aggressive to Infant:

Trainers will try to calm Nias down through positive keeper interactions and food. If this fails, we may want to consult with vets about the possibility of using a sedative to relax her.

Nias Carries Infant, Does NOT Nurse Infant and is Mildly Aggressive Towards Infant:

Trainers will try to calm Nias as above. Nias will then be asked to bring infant to cage front and 2 trainers will work with her to position the infant to her nipple.

#Hold hand so arms are away from infant (see above)

#Scratch and touch abdomen (see above)

#Target nipple to cage front (see above)

#Nipple stimulation (see above)

*Work with 2 trainers touching her at once so 1 trainer can do a hand hold and the other trainer can position infant to Nias’s breast (see above)

Mias Has Infant, Is Harming the Infant and Nias is NOT Interested in Infant:

Remove infant from Mias as quickly as possible. Separate Mias and Nias from infant, have vets examine infant for injuries. If no serious injury to the infant, the infant will be re-introduced to Nias and at some point to be determined, Mias.

#Nias retrieve and pick up infant, position it to abdomen (see above)

Mias Has Infant, Nias Wants Infant:

We would monitor this situation closely as there could be a possibility of injury to the infant if Nias attempts to take the infant from Mias.

Nias Feeling Poorly After Giving Birth, Exhibiting Less than Optimal Maternal Care:

We would continually monitor the situation and a plan of action would be dependent on the infant’s physical condition and Nias’s behavior. There is a possibility that we may have to separate Mias, if he is interfering with Nias and/or the infant.

# Mias voluntarily separate from Nias (ALL)

Orangutan Trainers Behavior List:

Nias: *= Priority Behaviors to be Solidified

*Pick up surrogate and put it to breast (Cindy, Michelle, Jody)

#Hold hands overhead on cage front (ALL)

#Voluntary separation (ALL)

#Allow breast pump to be placed on breast (ALL)

*Allow milk to be expressed from breast (Cindy, Jody, Michelle)