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Orangutan mom enjoys meal while cradling her newborn

The Bornean orangutan was born on June 25 and visitors were treated to seeing his proud mom show him around the newly built outdoor enclosure.

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Keepers at Dudley Zoo and Castle (DZC) are overjoyed to announce the birth of a critically endangered Bornean orangutan. (Dudley Zoo and Castle via SWNS)

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

Adorable footage shows a hungry female orangutan tucking into a well-deserved meal while cradling her newborn baby boy.

The critically-endangered male ape has yet to be named by keepers at Dudley Zoo and Castle.

His mom, 30-year-old Jazz, successfully mated with 33-year-old Djimat, who arrived from a zoo in Denmark last October.

The Bornean orangutan was born on June 25 and visitors were treated to seeing his proud mom show him around the newly built £500,000 ($595,266) outdoor enclosure.

Upper Primates Section Leader, Pat Stevens, said: “The birth of one of the planet’s rarest animal species is so incredibly special and we’re all thrilled with our wonderful new arrival.

“Jazz, who was born here herself, is an experienced mum, having already reared our youngest female, Sprout, who is now 11 years-old and she’s once again proving to be a doting parent.

Keepers at Dudley Zoo and Castle (DZC) are overjoyed to announce the birth of a critically endangered Bornean orangutan. (Dudley Zoo and Castle via SWNS)

“The baby is gorgeous and looks to be alert and feeding well as he snuggles up to mum, while we’ve also spotted dad, Djimat, looking on lovingly at his newest offspring.”

The birth comes as a result of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

Keepers were able to confirm Jazz’s pregnancy with a urine test and closely monitored her during her eight-and-a-half month gestation period.

The baby brings the zoo’s Bornean orangutan number to five, consisting of the family group and solitary male, Benji.

Orangutan populations have halved over the past century as their natural habitats have been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.

The World Wildlife Fund considers them critically endangered, one notch above extinction in the wild.

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