Camilla Jessen
A quiet act of compassion at a Danish zoo may have saved a newborn orangutan’s life — thanks to a breastfeeding mother and a story from halfway around the world.
A viral video from the USA provided the inspiration – and a small miracle took place behind the glass pane in Aalborg, Denmark.
Imagine this: You’re walking through the zoo, your baby is sleeping peacefully in the stroller – and suddenly, you’re asked to help with a life-saving emergency.
That’s exactly what happened recently at Aalborg Zoo. A mother became the hero of the day and perhaps even the reason a newborn orangutan baby is now romping around—healthy and happy, reports TV2.
Ruti, a 12-year-old orangutan and first-time mother, had just given birth to her first baby. But her joy quickly turned to concern. Ruti didn’t understand how to breastfeed her baby.
The zookeepers began to lose hope as the baby grew weaker by the hour.
Attempts to get Ruti to breastfeed failed. Instead, she put her own tongue or thumb into the baby’s mouth.
Inspiration from an American Zoo
Then one of the zookeepers had an idea. She had read about a similar case from the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, USA.
There, an orangutan named Zoe had struggled to breastfeed her first baby. Before her second birth, a plan was created to encourage her maternal instincts. A zookeeper, who was a new mother herself, allowed Zoe to observe breastfeeding. Zoe was also shown videos of other orangutan mothers and how to carry a baby using a stuffed animal.
This inspiring story brought new hope to Aalborg.
At first, the zookeepers tried demonstrating with a stuffed orangutan—without success. When the zoo reopened to visitors, they finally asked one of the mothers present for help.
The area around the enclosure was cordoned off, and the mother sat quietly in front of the glass pane, breastfeeding her baby. Ruti watched closely.
The result wasn’t immediate—but later that afternoon, it happened:
Ruti put her baby to her breast.
By the next morning, the change was dramatic: the baby was nursing and full of life.
Whether the demonstration was the deciding factor is uncertain—but after that, Ruti knew exactly what to do.
The helpful mother from North Jutland wishes to remain anonymous, but the team at Aalborg Zoo has promised she will receive proper recognition for her efforts.
You can watch the video that inspired the zookeepers here.