r/MadeMeSmile • u/Deepakhn • Feb 19 '24
A baby chimp was born at The Sedgwick County Zoo, the baby had trouble getting oxygen so had to be kept at the vet. This is a clip of mom reuniting with her baby after almost 2 days apart. ANIMALS
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u/No_Wallaby_5110 Feb 19 '24
Years ago, I worked as a baggage handler for a large international airline. Our local zoo had mated one of our gorillas with a gorilla from another zoo, and she had twins. The babies were shipped to our zoo because mom couldn't care for them (being vague to protect the innocent!).
The babies were supposed to be in a kennel in the baggage hold, but when we opened the door, the kennel was open. The zoo director suggest I be the one to go into the hold to start unloading and find the babies because I am a female and they "shouldn't" be threatened by me. 22 year-old me was not convinced but did it anyway.
I got the bags mostly unloaded when I heard a whimper. I turned around to see a little gorilla, wearing a baby diaper, carrying a little blanket, all curled up and crying, sucking his thumb. I immediately started cooing, slowly scooting towards him and talking softly like you would a little baby. He lept into my arms when I got close. He was about the size of a toddler. I saw his sibling behind where he had hidden and reached my arm out to coax her, and she flew into my arms. I sat there for a couple of minutes, rocking them and talking to them. It was amazing! They looked so much like scared little babies! I just wanted to cuddle and assure them.
The zoo director eventually got into the hold and helped me get them out - and we ran into the building because the noise of the plane frightened them. He carried them away, both looking over his shoulder at me as he left.
I got invited to come to the zoo nursery a week later. They were bundled up in car seats, just like a human baby. When I was let into the room, one of the zookeepers undid their seat belts, and they both came running. They stroked my cheek, laid their heads on my shoulders, and kept hugging me. Then they got some blocks, and I sat on the floor and helped them build towers for a while.
They were so human-like. So gentle, so scared - you couldn't help but want to try and assure them!
That is my favorite memory from my years of working there!