Meet Raya, the Newest Arrival at the Fort Wayne Zoo
At the heart of every mother’s birth experience is trust: trust in herself and trust in her care.
Tara, a 30-year-old orangutan in our care and mother to 11-year-old Asmara, trusts both. This trust, cultivated, continuously curated, and relied upon throughout Tara’s entire life, helped bring a baby girl named Raya (Rah-yah) into the world on January 11, 2026.
“We wrote up a 50 page birth management plan, with every scenario possible so that we were prepared, ahead of birth and after the birth, for any situation that might occur.” Says Angie Selzer, Senior Animal Care Specialist and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Orangutan Species Survival Plan Coordinator.
Along with the birth management plan, Tara received twice-weekly ultrasounds, was monitored via habitat cameras overnight, and had routine hourly observations.
On January 11, 2026, 20 minutes after her last Animal Care Team member left for the day, Tara went into labor. With wide-eyes on the camera monitors watching closely, Tara was able to rely upon her maternal instincts and past birthing experiences to safely bring Raya into the world without the veterinary team needing to intervene.
As an ambassador for a critically endangered species, each birth is a vital moment in continuing a line of genetically diverse and biologically sound populations to ensure the long-term survival of Sumatran orangutans.
“Sumatran orangutans are a critically endangered species, and we are really fortunate to witness a successful birth.” Says Jamie Morneweck, Animal Care Supervisor in the Indonesian Rain Forest. “Raya will be able to carry on the genetic diversity of her parents, which gives more opportunity to have more births in the future. Females hold a great deal of importance, so we’re really excited that she’s going to be able to continue on her legacy and carry the genetics of her species.”
With two daughters now, Tara will care for Raya as her legacy begins, and show Asmara what motherhood entails with the hopes that she will one day continue a line of her own.
“Tara has actually brought the baby to Asmara for her to see. Asmara has just sniffed and touched while Tara makes sure she’s very gentle.” States Selzer. Our Animal Care Team will continue to work with all of the orangutans as they safely and comfortably settle into their new roles and routines.
We are incredibly proud of our Animal Care Team and Veterinary Team for their exceptional work and unwavering dedication to the 1,500 animals who trust us with their care. As the orangutans adapt to having a new little one, we will post updates on our website and social media.