(COLORADO SPRINGS) — With Mother’s Day just a few days away, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is highlighting a dynamic duo capturing the hearts of guests every day.
According to keepers, the two Bornean orangutans, Hadiah and Ember, can’t help but bring smiles to their faces because of their unique bond.
“Hadiah and Ember are super playful and have a really fun and loving relationship,” said Ashton Asbury, animal keeper in Primate World.
Asbury said 37-year-old Hadiah had Ember a decade ago, and they still love being around each other, which is not the norm among orangutans.
“Orangutans will have their offspring leave the nest — essentially from their mom, around six to eight years old. Ember is over ten years old, but we still see her and Hadiah not only share a nest at night, but they share food,” Asbury said.
Through her caring and inquisitive nature, Hadiah can often be seen ‘peering’ back at guests through the glass (Credit: FOX21 photojournalist Christopher Hernandez).
10-year-old Ember sits near the window to enjoy a snack (Credit: FOX21 photojournalist Christopher Hernandez).
Guests said they love how Hadiah not only interacts with her daughter, but with people who come to see her.
“I love the fact that she’s just hanging out right over there looking at us,” said Regan Garden, who also now volunteers at the zoo.
Asbury said ‘people-watching’ is something Hadiah especially enjoys, which just adds to her caring nature. On more than one occassion, you can see her pressing her face against the glass and peering in at zoo patrons.
“Hadiah, just straight off the bat, she is super great at making people feel really seen,” Asbury said. “She often does not enter an exhibit without stopping to look at everybody who’s looking at her first.”
Asbury said she will sometimes even recognize her and seek her or her family out. She believes this is because Hadiah is also protective of not only her child, but her family outside the glass.
“If you have a really special connection with Hadiah, she’ll even knock at the glass for you to come over, which is really cool. Definitely makes me feel super special,” Asbury said. “I’ve learned a lot about how to make sure I’m having fun all the time, but still take enough time to slow down and enjoy the relationships around me. I find that no matter how much fun they’re having, they’ll always take a second to eat together, to sleep in a nest together, or even just have a nice little like resting session where they’re not doing anything too crazy.”
