As previously announced, at 5:07 AM on June 7th, Chimpanzee "Mikan" successfully gave birth to a healthy male calf. This pregnancy was achieved through artificial insemination using sperm from "Decky," a chimpanzee of wild origin.

It is said that in captive Chimpanzee, first-time mothers are less likely to raise their offspring. Therefore, we made preparations to ensure that Mikan could give birth in a calm environment. Mikan is very cautious and has a sensitive personality, reacting to even the slightest changes. To help Mikan feel at ease, as her due date approached, we placed her in the same room as her mother, Momoko, and her younger brother, Ibuki, at night. We also prepared an incubator in case we needed to switch to artificial rearing, and installed surveillance cameras and sensor cameras to monitor her 24 hours a day.

On the morning of June 7th, we, the staff, were relieved to see Mikan holding her baby. This time, we will show you the mother and baby through camera footage.


[Video] Mikan giving birth
Mikan lives her life holding her child tightly. When moving or eating, she uses her free hand to support the child and prevent it from falling.

We were able to confirm breastfeeding from the day the baby was born. The baby clings to the orange and drinks breast milk with firm movements of the mouth. The baby sleeps most of the time, but occasionally opens its eyes and moves its arms and legs, so it seems to be healthy.


[Video] Breastfeeding a child
Also, Ibuki, who lives with them, is very interested in the child, peeking at them and touching them. She will surely become a good playmate in the future.


[Video] Ibuki touches the baby
We separated Mikan from the group for a few days so she could focus on raising her chicks, but since the breeding is going well and the chicks are healthy, we started practicing returning her to the group on June 13th. We are repeatedly having them meet through the bars and living together.

The reactions of the group members vary; some quickly lose interest, while others continue to watch the baby with great interest. Mikan changes her attitude depending on the person; sometimes she exchanges thorough greetings, and other times she simply says hello once and leaves. It's interesting to see how Mikan feels about each member. Also, even when conflicts break out between other individuals, Mikan keeps her distance to avoid getting involved, skillfully navigating the situation.

We plan to open the area to the public once more of the fish have joined the group (timing TBD).

The child's name, Dill, is derived from a vegetable and a herb, with one letter from the father's name, Decky. We hope you will warmly watch over her as she grows.

[Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

◎Related News
・ We have successfully performed artificial insemination on Chimpanzee. (February 24, 2022)
・ The path to success in artificial insemination of Chimpanzee (February 25, 2022)
・ Progress made! Efforts toward semen cryopreservation. (March 11, 2022)

(July 4, 2022)